WC 82 RP Thread

[Bongo Johnson]

BongoBeat.net - Home of Group 5 winning Bongo Johnson

ON CLOUD 5
Incredible underdogs are Group 5 champions as curtain draws on qualification

Despite losing the last contest of the qualifying stage, Bongo Johnson have clinched the role of Group 5 champion. Ranked 78th after the final matchday, the Incorporated States will enter the tournament as the lowest ranked nation and the biggest underdog in the contest.

The group stage victory comes after an unbelievable conquest from the unlikely Incorporated squad, who opened the World Cup with five consecutive wins that set up their later qualification in the second half of the stage. The Bongos battled through hard fought losses and draws to clutch enough points to qualify for the Cup at all in the 17th Matchday and finally winning the group after a combination of results prevented Damukuni from leapfrogging the squad into the number one slot. Damukuni drew against Spokane to clinch the second qualifying spot in the group and eliminating Ko-oren and Ethane, who had longshot chances of taking over that berth.

Hardly anyone gave the Incorporated boys a second thought, being the fourth-worst ranked nation in their group and drawing perennial front-runners like Ethane, Ko-oren, and Damukuni. They will seek to continue the Cinderella story as they join the fourth pot for the next group draw.

[Balqia]

The office was silent, only the heavy breathing of Primlid and Janus could be heard, in the desk Adrec was looking at them with cold eyes, and in the floor Mariko was standing unconscious, maybe dead. The in Viktor’s hand was pointing to Rigo.
-Viktor, what are you doing? This isn’t right, you shouldn’t…
-Shut up- Andrec’s voice was cold, he didn’t even moved his eyes to reply to Primlid’s attempt to get out of the situation -Nothing was right from the very beginning, your assistant was sabotaging me. I should’ve shot his legs to at least hear an apologize before ending the job.
When Primlid, Janus and Mariko where to an “emergency meeting” in Andrec’s office Claudius knew that something was wrong, but he never imagined that they would be received with a gun’s shot. By the time the entire building should be aware of the situation, the shot was loud and surely could be heard in the lower floors.
-L-look Mr Andrec, I d-don't know what I’ve d-done but I can surely a-apologize or…
-Oh no, it isn’t about you, you are just a piece in my little vendetta.
-What’s going on Andrec?- Primlid couldn’t understand the situation, since the manager discovered that Mariko was selling information he didn’t contacted anyone, but this was just madness -If this is about Janus father… it isn’t Rigo’s fault, he…
-I know, I am just returning Mr Grigorius favors.
-L-Look, I don’t know about my father’s actions. P-please Mr Andrec I just want to…
Viktor threw a newspaper at them, with a gesture he ordered Primlid to took it. A headline was encircled with red “Accident kills four”. When he read the rest of the notice Andrec’s actions were explained, the victims where his family.
-This was tragic Viktor, but Mr Janus don’t have nothing to do with this, it was just a coincidence that…
-A coincidence? My entire family dies and the morning news let it clear that they were my family? You are smarter than this Claudius. Now if you don’t mind…
Another shot was heard. Rigo fell to the ground with a scream, he was holding his leg and a red liquid started to form a pool in the ground. The player was alive, but for how much time?
-This is insane Andrec, you could’ve denounced Mariko, and I don’t know how JAnus father is involved but the boy is innocent…
-So let me explain, yes?- Viktor stood up and started to walk slowly in Janus direction, the gun pointed to Primlid -When this started we had just an order from the Minister of Sports, Mr Iako told us “Find a way to improve my budget”. We had some luck and the World Cup was announced just a week after that. I was just a guy in the Sports ministry, vice director of the “Sport and health to everyone” project. I had some friends in the period, and they knew someone who needed a manager that would guarantee some profits for his business. Guess what, it was Mr Janus.- Viktor reached Rigo and pointed the gun towards him -He wanted someone who could guarantee a good performance to increase sales of his new brand of clothes and accessories, his friend Mr Iako too was going to receive some “extra budget” after selling the rights of production to Janus company. I was just the guy that should make the team win. And I’ve done exactly this. I choose the best of the best to compose our beloved National Team. Everything was going very well. Going to the finals of the Baptism was great, I received more budget from Iako and some “bonuses” from Janus. But then the World Cup started, and with it my downfall. The budget from the ministry was stagnated and the government prefered to invest in more lucrative areas, no one was buying the new “National Team official uniform”.- He sighed -If you could at least win more matches… but no, they saw me as a failure and discarded me. They denounced my little deviations, a friend told me that my the cops are after me and Kruma was caught yesterday, trying to leave the country. Now, do you think that Iako and Janus would be caught too? Obviously not, they will bribe anyone to get out of any accusation and nothing that I say about them will reach the official documents. You know how things work in this country Primlid, I am a dead man, don’t matter what I do. I just prefer to revenge my little family before I get caught.
His finger reached the trigger, however, before he could pull it Rigo pushed his leg from the ground. Viktor fell and Rigo tried to stole the gun. Primlid advanced, he wanted to immobilize Andrec, but the man’s arm lifted with the revolver pointing to Claudius, a shot was heard and his abdomen was aching, Primlid fell and another shot could be heard. Then everything just became dark
*****
The hospital surely was annoying. Everything was silent, so silent that every step in the corridors could be heard. He received some visits, a cop asked him questions for two hours in the first day. His wife appeared there sometimes, she always brought some chocolates, even his son Vladimir made an visit, they talked about his studies and about soccer, the last victory against Darmen surely made the nation proud.
Today in specific another visit arrived, Primlid heard the steps, but these are a bit different, these time who entered the room was Rigo, he was using crutches and a hospital vest.
-Hello Mr Primlid, how are you doing?
Claudius sat in the bed and said with a smile
-Better now, please, sit down.
Janus went to a chair and sat there, his hair had growth since the last time they saw each other.
-So, how are you going Rigo? I see you get better too.
-Yes, I am better... I’ve come here to thank you Mr Primlid. You saved me there.
-No, I didn’t Andrec just shot me because he saw the chance. You are the guy that took him down…
-No, he was going to shoot me. You were just reaching him, he prefered to shot you because you could reach him.
-Yes, but why he didn’t shot you after me?
The silence returned to the room for a while, then Rigo answered.
-I don’t know, he could’ve killed me there, but he just… well… went after himself, I think.
Janus was really disturbed by the events. The police arrived just a few seconds after Viktor’s act. Janus leg recovered but his mind was still affected.
-So, how’s your father?
-He… is in jail. Apparently Andrec denounced him before going nuts. He and Mr Iako are being judged by corruption and high treason. Some other people in the Sports Ministry and Sport industry are doing it too.
-I am sorry for your father, it must be…
Silence returned again. This time Rigo got up and started to went to the door.
-It was an honor to work with you Mr Primlid. You are an excellent coach.
Rigo couldn’t play again. A tendon of his leg broke and Andrec shooting right in his side made Rigo deaf from one ear. His sports career was officially over.
-It was a honor to work with you too Rigo. I am not going to work with sports anymore, so I think we both are lucky to have known each other.
-Yeah… sure we are.
With that Rigo left the room, Primlid was alone again, the steps in the corridor disappeared and the silence returned, this time to stay for a while.

[Darmen]

Darmen 6-1 Adab
@ Tyger Stadium, Darmen City
DAR: Campo - Virgo, Abbey (Coghlan 65'), Maddox - Goldschmidt - Ó Cuilinn, Winton (Cardoso 72'), Butler, Stafford - Lucanus (Hurst 65'), Blackwood
ADB: Lineup Unknown

GOALS
D-A
1-0 Lucanus 12'
2-0 Goldschmidt 21'
2-1 Unknown 28'
3-1 Winton 42'
4-1 Stafford 53'
5-1 Blackwood 68'
6-1 Cardoso 87'
Darmen 7-2 Cobrio
@ Kalenda Stadium, Rogerton
DAR: Abram - Wilkie, Coghlan (Krämer 71'), Spalding - Ramírez (Good 71') - Mac Pharlain (Armbruster 76'), Svendsen, Byrnes, Freud - Hurst, Russell
COB: Cruz - Cooper, Johnson, Armstrong (Dabiri 68'), Spence (Chamberlain 68') - Picard, Fontaine (Dusang 73'), Ekeh - Lofuko, Warrington, Delfour

GOALS
D-C
1-0 Russell 17'
2-0 Svendsen 23'
2-1 Warrington 29'
3-1 Hurst 31'
4-1 Mac Pharlain 44'
5-1 Hurst 62'
5-2 Ekeh 65'
6-2 Byrnes 73'
7-2 Hurst 80'
Balqia 3-1 Darmen
BAL: Kalniq - Janus, Kuld, Tiri, Kalta (Stravo 73') - Kruma - Egliti (Erianiq 73'), Ptolq - Faj, Qalti (Putiniq 50'), Matiq
DAR: Falkenrath - Espinosa, Krämer, Lyne - Good - Armbruster, Cardoso (Pickle 78'), McNeil, St. John (Stafford 73') - Firmin (Hurst 73'), Borde

GOALS
B-D
1-0 Matiq 27'
1-1 McNeil 39'
2-1 Ptolq 61'
3-1 Faj 83'

Darmen qualifies for 7th World Cup finals

Darmen's 6-1 victory over Adab in Darmen City guaranteed the All Greens' participation in their seventh all-time World Cup finals, the third time in a row under the leadership of Godefroy Abascal.

The six goal scoring explosion was repeated and done one better, in the next match against Cobrio as Skylar Hurst's hat-trick was a highlight among the seven total goals scored. A third choice eleven started the match against Balqia, the road match proving to be too much for them as they fell by the score of 3-1.

Godefroy Abascal will now have the tough task of shrinking Darmen's roster down to twenty-three men. Abascal has four major decisions to make, two of them involving who to name among the reserves. At left back, Feliciano Espinosa and Anastasio Wilkie both have claims to the #2 spot behind Jean Virgo, Espinosa's performance domestically with Romanopolis United giving him a slight edge in the debate. At right forward, the aging Colin Russell may get overlooked in favor of the much younger Ivan Borde, despite having had an excellent scoring record in the qualifiers with seven goals.

Craig Blackwood remains the undisputed #1 right forward, he might be playing with a different partner up top, as the 33 year old Felix Lucanus has confirmed that this will be his last World Cup appearance. He'll undoubtedly be named among the 23 players who make the trip to either Valanora or Apox for the group stage, but many fans and pundits have come to believe that Skylar Hurst has won the rights to start the matches, relegating Lucanus to the role of "super-sub." Hurst scored with a fervent pace in qualifying, scoring two hat-tricks and eleven total goals.

The biggest decision for Abascal however comes in the center-midfield. While Marcellinus Winton and Zachariah Butler look set to retain their spots in the starting XI, four players are vying for two spots among the reserves. The two left center-midfielders: Abraham Cardoso and Víedharr Svendsen, have been scoring threats in addition to the stereotypical Darmeni midfield passers. Each of the two scored three goals over the course of the campaign. The two right center-midfielders: Mercurius Byrnes and Alan McNeil, however have the advantage of experience and scored their fare share of goals in the qualifiers as well.

Abascal has a few weeks yet before he must make his final decision. Confidence is high among the staff at the Darmeni Football Association that the All Greens' can make a return to the Round of Sixteen. After that, its hoped the team can go a step or two further. Only the best twenty-three players will be able to see us through. Let's hope Abascal picks the right ones.

OOC: I won't make you wait for the roster, here it is.

[Audioslavia]

82 Yeah

A look around the groups after qualifying, set to the tune of Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley*

I heard there was a new Peru
More hills extra llamas too
Against the great Brenecia they would feature
They topped the group from just one game
They dreamed that they would end the same
But fell to Porabasta and Banija

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

In Drawkland they’ve had quite a run
They’ve qualified since they begun
No other team’s success rate could be purer
They came to play and had a go
But struggled with Lochario
And lost to Audioslavia and Eura

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Victory is a fickle dame
Her favourites change from game to game
Her absence makes your qualifying harder
And though she gets along with us
And often favours Frosticus
She clearly has the hump with San Regada

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

In Gor Kebab the rumour goes
Their players reached such epic lows
Because they were all set upon by gang thugs
This idea, somewhat explains
Just how they lost so many games
And failed to beat Barunia and Zwangzug

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

It’s hard to watch Group 5, says I,
When every game ends in a tie
I’d rather watch some paint dry in Wisconsin
And though it might seem really harsh:
Libonesia, Holy Marsh
You’re nothing when compared to Bongo Johnson

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Here’s a bleak dystopia:
A world wherein Geektopia
Manufactures deadly neurotoxins
Though it can’t be quite as bad as when
They lost to Cobrio and then
They somehow blundered scorinating boxing

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

I warn you, if you have to play
Sorrentopia away
There nation has been rumoured to be lawless
They frightened all their rival teams
The scorinator too, it seems
As every match they drew, it ended scoreless

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Picture this one, if you can
A Gregoryisgodistan
But calmer and a fraction as nefarious
Imagine also, if you will
A group where they and Baranil
Were better than the former champs Osarius

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Group Nine has a question mark:

The Commonwealth of Baker Park
Just how on earth did they beat ROBOSTANIA?
“Well, you see” they said to me
“We scored five and they scored three”
“And then we caught the plane back to Calania”

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Group Ten has a single Flaw
And it also has nine nations more
All of them frustrated by Olastor
But Turori rose above the fuss
And caught the 95X bus
Together they averted the disaster

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

In Group Eleven Cosumar,
COCANEFA’s eastern star,
To the World Cup Finals they were beckoned
And Qusmo, who were third from bottom
Fought so hard it somehow got ‘em
Up and over Kavagrad to second

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Though Beepee showed that they could play
Their World Cup berth was locked away
And only hosts Mriin know where the key is
Mriin devised a sneaky con
They swapped a zero for a one
And qualified along with Farfadillis

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Vilita thought they’d take the lead
But in their group the highest seed
Was made to look a bit like a banana
From stuck in fourth, the side begun
To play like champs and finally won
And broke the hearts of all in Savojarna

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Did you hear about the purple team
Who threatened to become a meme
A century after they were last contenders
How they must have felt relieved
As gratefully they all received
The second place Filindostan surrendered

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

How funny the catasrophe
Of Krytie’s start in Group 15
Their strikers as prolific as a panda
We all enjoyed Krytenia’s plight
But saying that, it wasn’t quite
As funny as when Indusse beat Lisander

Hallelujah
Eighty Two, yeah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

*Yes it's originally a Leonard Cohen song, but the original version is awful

[Kelssek]

THE FOOTBALL MAGAZINE ALL THE COOL KIDS ARE READING
THE VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE'S A WANKER SINCE 2006

In review: Kelssek's World Cup 82 qualification run

How far away are Kelssek from playing in the World Cup again? At the qualifiers for WC81, Kelssek finished 7th in their group with an 8-3-7 record. They were 12 points away from a position which would have qualified them for a qualification playoff. This time, Kelssek were 5th with a 7-6-5 record, and 10 points off automatic qualification spot (format differences matter, but this comparison addresses the lowest number of points to move forward).

Dropped points costly
There's a reason that many years ago, soccer adopted an extra standings point for winning. Draws now set both teams back, and especially the team that's favoured to win. Kelssek's inability to finish the job against lower-ranked opposition was a real problem, and more than cancelled out the win against Turori and grabbing a draw against Kita-Hinode. If those were 4 points Kelssek grabbed, they lost them all failing to beat Migli twice, a team with practically no experience in international soccer. Olastor played the dangerous underdog game well against other teams, but something better than a draw and a loss against them would have made a real difference. Add in the 1-1 draw against Flaw, and that's 7-9 points lost that should have been gained: that's Kelssek almost qualified. That's why soccer isn't played on a spreadsheet, of course - but this may indicate the players don't quite have the right mentality when the expectation is on them to win games.

Newcomers
Seven players earned their first cap during these qualifiers. Colm Ó Tuathail was the stand-out of the bunch, with the left winger showing speed and a deft touch to also score his first goals for the national team, including the third goal against Turori. Ó Tuathail eventually earned 9 caps over the course of the campaign. Patrice Champetier, a 21-year old who caught the eye of Fontvielle Impact last year, was also given a taste of the international level with his first cap coming as a substitute against Cosneolta on matchday 6. Ashley Douglass made an impression as a right wing-back, and while she only got 4 caps this year more are sure to come for the 24-year old CF Outineau product. Also given a run-out were Louis Kuelvic, earning a first senior cap after a good showing at the 13th Summer Olympics, Marketville youngster Matts Bogdanor, midfielder Cory Greenwood who is unlucky to be competing with Ruslan Demetriev for the ball-winning role, and left-back Ryan Dumont who came to Football Kelssek's attention with his role in Strathcona's KFL title-winning season.

Player statistics

Name                       Pos.  Apps Gls
Christian Arbour           D C   4    0
Matts Bogdanor             M C   2    0
Tim Bowler                 D L   14   1
Rory Canning-Meagher       M R/L 6    1
Patrice Champetier         M L   5    1
Victor Clinton             M C   5    0
Mason Curtin               D C   5    0
Brayden Custworth          F C   14   9
Ruslan Demetriev           M C   16   1
Rémy Dionne                M L/C 3    0
Ashley Douglass            D R   4    0
Ryan Dumont                D L   4    0
Gabriel Farahani           D R   5    1
Cathal Gallagher           GK    4    0
Cory Greenwood             M C   3    0
Damien Halliger            D C   16   1
Louis Kuelvic              F C   3    0
Patrice Langelier          F C   9    3
Gabriel Lapierre           M C   17   3
Thamior Liadon             D L/R 9    2
Matt Lister                F C   13   7
Blake McDonagh             M R   14   5
Marc-Henri Normand         GK    1    0
Colm Ó Tuathail            M L   9    3
Kai Poirier                GK    13   0
Kassel Pokorný             D C   11   1
Shaheen Taleb              F C   8    4
Adrian Tremblay-Fillon     M C   4    0

[Starblaydia]

OOC: Mostly this is because I got all nostalgic for old kit styles earlier on in the Qualifiers.

500-OOF
Snazzy Starblaydia spoil Baker's Party

In Belle Haven, at Keller Field, Starblaydia emerged from the tunnel to play in the Commonwealth of Baker Park's 500th international fixture. Specially invited by the FAC to take part in this friendly match, and never having played Starblaydia before, this was to be a celebration of just how far The Bees had come in their previous 499 games. The SFA, delighted to accept the offer, decided that this would be the game where they'd debut their latest ediraf incarnation for the national team. Starblaydia, who have uniquely lined up in ediraf gear throughout their history, wore their change kit of purple shirts and socks with black shorts to this contest, feeling that the subtle hoop design was a great way of honouring both the living history and the nickname of the Commonwealth of Baker Park team.

ediraf's latest creations for the five-time world champions were a big hit with fans, most rating them as 'nice'.

Ázëwyn Fëanáro brought a relatively strong side to this outing, as a final warm-up for the 82nd World Cup, where they'll be based in Valanora. By the end of the ninety minutes, however, she was left not only red-faced with embarrassment for spoiling the Bees' party with a 3-0 victory, but also something of a selection headache ahead of the crucial World Cup opener with Audioslavia. Calindra Apelles, Alan Eccleston and Kaori Yamaguchi all performed well in this match, along with solid stubsitute appearances for Falka Kaumolainen and, of course, Mercy Kaufman. Each of them appeared to be using this match as a final opportunity to be able to say to their manager that they were ready for the big time.

And what a big time it will be, as we take a look at Group E of the 82nd World Cup finals, with Starblaydia placed into what some pundits are calling World Cup 82's 'Group of Death', as the teams in it - Valanora, Starblaydia, Audioslavia and Nova Anglicana - have twelve World Championships and a ridiculous twenty-three appearances in the World Cup Final between them:

Valanora (13th)
The five-times champions are playing at home, and you know what that means when Starblaydia face them on their own turf in the World Cup. It won't be the World Cup Final with the two teams at their historical peak, but it will be the final group game that pits the two strongest sides on paper against each other. Will this be the match where one goes home and one goes to the knockouts? Despite the World Cup 47 Final result being the most important game between these two sides in their long histories and going Starblaydia's way, Valanora have a winning record over Starblaydia when all-time results are taken into account. What's worse, this also includes Starblaydia's all-time record defeat, a 7-1 thrashing in the 39th World Cup, when Starblaydia had only just returned to the international scene. Normally these two sides, just two places apart in the rankings, would not have been drawn against each other, but Valanora and Apox both became Pot 1 teams for the purposes of the draw. On paper the best side in Group E, the Marauder's home support will surely spur them on to even greater feats, and there's no reason to think that they won't get out of this Group of Death

Audioslavia (26th)
When you consider that Audioslavia are one of the weakest teams, on paper, from Pot 3 of the draw, you'd wonder quite why they make this a 'Group of Death'. The answer to that question, for the third of the big, old beasts of Atlantian Oceania in this group, is the two stars on the shirt. Nine trips to the Final, twice coming back with that great old trophy. Let's not forget that the first of those was against Starblaydia. The rivalry between these two teams has largely been a jovial one, full of banter and memes in particular this Cup, as the Audioslavian corner of the information superhighway in particular was lit up throughout the qualifiers with references of calamity all directed at Starblaydia. Perhaps poetic justice, then, that a winner will be decided between them in this cycle. The Bulls will undoubtedly be raising their game against two of their greatest regional rivals, and the only problem is that there are just two positions available in the knockouts, and three great names attempting to claim them.

Nova Anglicana (30th)
One of the strongest Pot 4 teams in the Group, Nova Anglicana are shaping up to be either whipping boys or the dark horse to sneak in to the qualification spots. With the three titans of this group all knocking lumps out of each other, what odds on Nova Anglicana sneaking in amidst the battling sides and claim the glory for themselves. This is largely how they got through World Cup 82's qualifiers, gaining as many points as Starblaydia did, watching Barunia, Zwangzug, Main Nation Ministry and Jeruselem slug it out before securing top spot on the final Matchday. There are no easy games in international football, they say, and it could easily be down to performances against Nova Anglicana that decide who goes through and who goes home.

[South Covello]

SoCo Goes Loco: A South Covello Soccer Podcast

Bozo Bryant: Howdy, folks, you're listening to SoCo Goes Loco, the best South Covello soccer podcast in the whole damn country. I'm Bozo Bryant, and with me in the podcast studio today are Jason St. Pierre and Shawn Burst. We're going to be discussing the upcoming World Cup 82, live from Apox and Valanora.

Jason St. Pierre: So, as many of you have heard, South Covello was drawn into Group C for the World Cup.

Shawn Burst: That's C as in Covello, or Coconut, or Cocoabo, or Coolest Group in the Whole Damn World Cup!

Bozo Bryant: And we are the coolest group in the whole damn World Cup, aren't we?

Shawn Burst: You bet your booty we are!

Jason St. Pierre: So, anyway, joining us in Group C are The Holy Empire, Mriin, and the naked naked pretty pretty princesses of Jeruselem.

Bozo Bryant: So, this is a very interesting group, a very interesting group indeed. Group C will be played in Apox, but unlike most World Cups, there will be crossover between the co-hosts in the knockout stage, so we could go back and forth and back and forth beteen the land of the Dwile Flonkers and Elfworld.

Shawn Burst: So let's talk about each of the teams in the group. We'll start with The Holy Empire.

Bozo Bryant: Now, The Holy Empire has had some, shall we say, interesting teams over the years. They've had jumping beans, fish, a fog thing, what else was there?

Jason St. Pierre: Goats, boats, trains and planes, as the commercial says?

Bozo Bryant: Well, we'll get to the goats later.

Shawn Burst: But this may be the most interesting team of all from our friends in The Dreamed Realm. It's a bunch of murderous fluffy bunnies intent on destroying all of humanity. Or something like that.

Bozo Bryant: Yeah, something like that.

Jason St. Pierre: What are their names? Fluffernutter? Penaut Brittle? Thumper? Something innocent sounding, surely.

Shawn Burst: Sprinkles? Jimmies? Cherries? Pistachios?

Bozo Bryant: Now you're just naming ice cream toppings.

Jason St. Pierre: No wait, wasn't that World Cup 81?

Shawn Burst: Oh shit, it was. Dag nammit.

Bozo Bryant: We'll have to edit that part out.

Shawn Burst: This is a live podcast, we can't edit it out.

Jason St. Pierre: Fuck, shit, ass, bitch. Now you'll need to edit it.

Bozo Bryant: No, now you're just going to get us fined.

Shawn Burst: So I actually pulled up their roster, which I should have done to begin with, and their roster consists of... poets? And not even good poets, or mediocre poets, but the worst poets in the Multiverse?

Jason St. Pierre: But I thought The Dreamed Realm existed outside the Multiverse?

Bozo Bryant: But it exists outside of logic as well, so that's OK.

Shawn Burst: Yeah, that's cool, I guess.

Jason St. Pierre: Well, one of their defenders is named Grunthos the Flatulent, Poet Master of the Azgoth of Kria. What an odd name.

Bozo Bryant: Says the former Reporter XU9239ASJDHSDFH or whatever the Gregists called us.

Shawn Burst: Now, now, don't deadname Jason, please.

Bozo Bryant: But let's focus on Flatulence Man for a second. Is farting during a game a bookable offense?

Jason St. Pierre: If you do it intentionally, I guess.

Shawn Burst: But how does the ref know if it's intentional? Does Grunkos or whatever his name is say "Excuse me, kind sir, I am going to deliberately fart now"?

Bozo Bryant: Maybe, you don't know, he could do that.

Jason St. Pierre: And their striker, or one of them, is apparently a banished Vanoran named The Limerick-Writing Elf. Well, he may have a chance to return to his ancestral homeland this World Cup, but they'll have to get past us first.

Bozo Bryant: They could finish in second, you know. Or we could finish in second.

Shawn Burst: Or we could both finish in second.

Jason St. Pierre: No we couldn't.

Bozo Bryant: You never know.

Shawn Burst: Well, enough about these bad poets, we don't like them, and we hate their poems too. If we don't hate them for being our opponent, then we hate them for their bad verses. Tear them for their bad verses! Tear them for their bad verses!

Jason St. Pierre: Can we move on, please? We have more teams to get through.

Bozo Bryant: OK, so we'll move onto Mriin now. Apparently they're all funky colored satyrs.

Shawn Burst: And for those who don't know, a satyr is some weird creature that is a cross between a goat, a horse, and a human. Or something ike that.

Jason St. Pierre: And these satyrs are cool colors. Blue, red, purple, puce -

Bozo Bryant: Puce? What the hell is puce?

Jason St. Pierre: A color.

Bozo Bryant: I gathered that.

Jason St. Pierre: Puce is a color.

Bozo Bryant: Yes, you said that twice now.

Shawn Burst: Anyway, can we move on?

Bozo Bryant: Hey, are any of the satyrs pink with purple polka dots and lime green stripes?

Jason St. Pierre: No, those are clowns.

Bozo Bryant: Darn.

Shawn Burst: Yeah, Bozo wants to own a satyr clown or something.

Jason St. Pierre: Now, now, you can't own a satyr, they're sapient.

Shawn Burst: Tell that to Lord Almighty Gregory.

Jason St. Pierre: OK, fine, you can't legally own a satyr. Not anymore anyway.

Bozo Bryant: OK, slavery's not cool, folks, not cool, guys.

Shawn Burst: Carter Redwin thinks it is.

Bozo Bryant: No, remember, it was really a mind control demon that thought it was. The same mind control demon that controlled Dumpy O'Rumpy's mind.

Jason St. Pierre: Sure it was. And i'm the King of The Holy Empire.

Shawn Burst: Wouldn't The Holy Empire have an emperor?

Jason St. Pierre: I think you're missing my point.

Bozo Bryant: Oh, we got your point, all right, you're going to overthrow the government of The Holy Empire in a coup and become its King.

Jason St. Pierre: That was not my point at all.

Bozo Bryant: Now, now, guys, we don't want the Dreamed Realm coming after us, so let's just move on to our final opponent, the naked princess strippers of Jeruselem.

Shawn Burst: Are they strippers or prostitutes?

Bozo Bryant: What the hell kind of prostitute doesn't strip?

Jason St. Pierre: Bozo has a point, they're obviously naked princess stripper prostitutes.s

Bozo Bryant: But if they're already naked, what are they stripping off?

Shawn Burst: Their clothes?

Bozo Bryant: But they're naked.

Shawn Burst: Yeah, because they stripped their clothes off.

Bozo Bryant: But - oh, never mind.

Jason St. Pierre: Thankfully, the naked naked pretty pretty princess stripper robot ninja pirate turtles will not be playing in the game, though rumor has it there will be some of them reporting.

Bozo Bryant: Any way we can be next to them in the press box?

Shawn Burst: Now, now, Bozo, you've got to watch the game, not the naked princess stripper prostitute robot turtle bear Bellywubby porn stars or whatever the hell they are.

Bozo Bryant: You watch Bellywubby porn? That's sick. It's a children's show, for God's sakes.

Shawn Burst: No, I do not watch Bellywubby porn. Is that even a thing?

Jason St. Pierre: Wait a minute. Do Belywubbies wear clothes? Are those Bellywubby suits their clothes? Or is that their skin? And then what happens when they take it off?

Bozo Bryant: But I'm pretty sure there were episodes where they go to sleep wearing pajamas over the Bellywubby suit.

Shawn Burst: Why do you watch the Bellywubbies?

Bozo Bryant: I have a kid, OK?

Jason St. Pierre: But why would you have your kid watch naked Bellywubbies?

Bozo Bryant: Are they naked, though?

Shawn Burst: OK, enough with the naked Bellywubby talk. It's time to make predictions for this group. Bozo, you want to start?

Bozo Bryant: Don't we need to get in a word from our sponsors first?

Shawn Burst: Oh, right, SoCo Goes Loco is brought to you by Potato World, the first and only potato restaurant in South Covello. Serving literally millions of varieties of potatoes and french fries, Potato World is your chance to get potatoes with whatever your heart desires. Whether it's a peanut butter guacamole bacon baked potato, or french fries topped with chili, hot sauce, whipped cream, bananas, and cheese, you can enjoy just about any terrific topping combo you want, and it's all made fresh to order. With over 300 locations across South Covello, including one a few blocks from the stadium in Riverview, Potato World is the best damn potato place in the country, just like we're the best damn soccer podcast in the country. Isn't that right, Bozo?

Bozo Bryant: Damn right, that's right!

Shawn Burst: So anyway, now we're really going to make predictions for our group. Let's pick the scores for our three games. Those are Mriin on Matchday 1, The Holy Empire on Matchday 2, and finally wrapping things up with Jeruselem. Jason, you go first. And we're running out of time, so go quickly.

Jason St. Pierre: I say we get the full nine points. We beat Mriin 1-0, The Holy Empire 2-1, and Jeruselem 2-0.

Shawn Burst: High roller, there, Bozo, you want to go next?

Bozo Bryant: Look, it seems like every World Cup we alternate, great cycle, bad cycle, great cycle, bad cycle. I have a bad feeling about this. I hope I'm wrong, but I have a bad feeling. I say we drawn Mrin 0-0, lose to The Holy Empire 2-0, and tie Jeruselem 0-0. Two points, three games, we go home.

Jason St. Pierre: Now, there's pessimism, and there's that. Bozo, you want to get us home?

Bozo Bryant: Well, I'm somewhere in between you. I say we finish with seven of nine. We beat Mriin 2-0, draw The Holy Empire 1-1, and beat Jeruselem 2-0. As for tiebreaker with The Holy Empire, that ain't my job.

Jason St. Pierre: And we are just about out of time, so we'll see you after Matchday 1 with a new podcast. Good bye, everyone.

[Jeruselem]

Princess Chloe, former Jeruselem coach and current Jeruselem coach Kaz Sallad examining their Group C qualification opponents ...

The Holy Empire (11)
South Covello (3)
Mriin (20)
Jeruselem (38)

Kaz: Eh, you serious?
Chloe: Err, no this is who we up against.
Kaz: We're hosed
Chloe: Hey, we qualifed.
Kaz: I guess that's the plus side.
Chloe: Let's see how they got there ...

Kaz: South Covello, Group 8.
Chloe: 12 wins, 3 draw and 3 losses. Topped the group, just. +27 goal difference.
Kaz: I guess they'll be winning the group just from that.
Chloe: Well, 3rd seed you'd expect that.
Kaz: Nothing to really analyze there, we'll just hope we can get a draw with them.
Chloe: True that

Kaz: Mriin, Group 12.
Chloe: 9 wins, 7 draws and 2 losses. 2nd in the group.
Kaz: That's not very convincing, really.
Chloe: Yes, I expected better from Mriin really.
Kaz: Yes two loses but we could get points off them
Chloe: 20th seed, on paper they should beat us but we're here to we're here to show we can put in a fight

Kaz: The Holy Empire, Group 3.
Chloe: 13 wins, 5 draws. No losses. +34 goal difference ... fuck a duck
Kaz: Yes well, we are hosed with them and that other team
Chloe: Nevermind, if we can scrape like 4 points with a win and a draw ... maybe
Kaz: It's not looking great with this mix of teams
Chloe: Yeah

Kaz: Well, on paper. We're pretty weak.
Chloe: 2nd in Group 4. 8 wins, 7 draws and 4 losses. +11 goal difference. Pretty crap on paper.
Kaz: Mriin had +17 goal difference
Chloe: Well, we did conceded only 24 goals in 18 games.
Kaz: I think we need to defend our way to the next round, we can't outscore that lot
Chloe: Yeah, I can't see us scoring more than 3 goals against them.

Kaz: I guess I have a plan, we can't try to score lots of goals. It's not gonna work against those teams.
Chloe: We'll have to score enough and hope we can hold them off
Kaz: We aren't known for our super defense
Chloe: There's no way we can score lots of goals, we managed 4 in one game in the qualifiers. Maybe twice.
Kaz: Oh yes, we had that 4-3 win ... I doubt we can replicate that as well.
Chloe: We'll need the help of the Gods I guess

Kaz: Which ones?
Chloe: I don't care, if we make the 2nd round. I don't care
Kaz: True, we just need extra luck.
Chloe: I guess we avoid the Cup of Harmony anyway
Kaz: We did pretty good last time
Chloe: We've actually never won the bloody thing either, Jeru FC did ... once

Kaz: Don't expect me to win this cup hey
Chloe: Not this one, next one
Kaz: Eh
Chloe: At least qualify anyway
Kaz: Well, yes.
Chloe: No pressure

[Mriin]

OOC: A style change to +1.5 would be much appreciated.

The camera pans over a large crowd in typical television-studio stands; mostly satyrs with a healthy mix of humans and the occasional pony. They cheer vigorously, if not excitedly, whenever they think they're centre-shot. Eventually it wraps around to the stage, a spartan affair of two simple chairs flanking a comically oversized football.

"Welcome, everyone, to the latest edition of Get In The Goal!" The host stood up and gave the ball a hearty push, where it rolled back into a prop goal that had appeared from behind a false wall panel. "I'm your host, Ainin Kuursk, joined today by the ever-sharp mind of footballogist Niir Erzaan."

"You're too kind," Niir said with a wave to the crowd, "I'm excited to finally get a chance to share my knowledge on a stage like this."

Ainin gently sat back down, already leaning forward as he did. "Let's get right to brass tacks: The Reaver's management situation."

"It's a shame how Don went out. He's done great things for this team, sculpting them into a world power in record time and keeping them there longer than the Drawkians could manage. But at the same time, I don't feel Vicky and the MNL were wrong in their decision after the Beepee match."

"Ugh, don't remind me of that," Ainan grimaced, "I'm going to be paying that bet off for a while. We're all interested to see where Don ends up next, but a much more present question is who's taking over the NT. I've compiled a list of the most eligible bachelors--err, managers--who are either actively looking for work or might be well-suited to buy off their current position. Are you ready?"

"I don't think there's anyone more ready to babble about random foreign managers!" Niir chuckled as the crowd got the 'mild laughter' sign, glad this shown wasn't reliant on her actual wit for that.

"Great! We'll start with Vralx-Ucyxi Lec of Qusmo, who's currently managing in the LigVezia."

"Lec is a quality definitely a quality option. They steered Poldanz--who have the best logo of all time, in my humble opinion--as deep into UICA competition as any Mrii manager has managed, and are noted for getting the best out of top-class striking talent. They would likely be a good fit for enabling strategies that best make use of Solara and Tali'raia, as well as perhaps forming a strong connection with Mako that could let him bloom into the superstar we all want him to be. The one concern is that Velestrians are very generous in their football expenditures, and it might be more difficult than it's worth to lure them from a cushy and lucrative position like that."

"Interesting. I'd imagine the MNL would be willing to open the pocketbooks for an occasion like this, but if they do it'd still have to be worth the scales. Next on the list is Vulav-Wanar Tla, also of Qusmo and looking for a job."

"Tla is on the other end, where they would likely accept the position before the contract is even written up. Unfortunately, that could easily be a situation of "getting what you're paying for." Their tenure at Niom did not go well to say the least, but had one bright spot that can interest the Reaver faithful: an excellent eye for organizing a defense. A complete and utter inability to leverage offensive pieces is considerably less worrying when you have the caliber of strikers we're lucky enough to have, while whipping our backs into shape--especially after their dreadful performance in qualifiers--could easily make the team better on balance. A budget option for that effect, to be sure, but worth considering."

"I wasn't too hot on Tla when I included them, but I have to say you've got me reconsidering! I'm sure you won't need any magic to convince me about the Qusmi'y Tlanx-Nulz Hal's quality."

"Of course! Qastyr are a dominant force in both the Pug Qusmyra and UICA, reaching heights in the Champion's Cup we can only dream of. Multiple Manager of the Season awards, a refined attacking style that the Reavers would take to quickly, they're easily at the top of the list. But once again comes the price tag--all reports seem to indicate Hal is quite happy with their position atop their home pyramid, and even if we could consider ourselves a somewhat glorious side by our ranking we won't be providing nearly as much silverware. If a deal could be struck, it would be both pricey and worth every scale."

"They're certainly my favorite for the position; call me a dreamer. How do you feel about the curious case of Forzu-Denir Ono and their ejection from Qusmi'y society?"

"Oh god, I'm a sports nerd, don't ask me to talk about politics! Especially since the MAA also kept Mrii athletes out of the Olympics in solidarity with Spon Qusma! If we pretend that ignoring that hullabaloo is okay--big if--then Ono is a brilliant bargain. They have extensive experience grooming young talent into productive players, a skill many in Reaver fan circles are valuing highly as there’s a worrying gap between our aging 'golden generation' and the next wave. That a manager of Ono’s quality is slumming it in a mid-tier at best Banijan side is shocking, but I guess that’s what happens when you make a pariah of yourself. I doubt the MNL is going to spit in the MAA’s face, so we can probably count them out of the running.”

“It’s a tricky situation, no doubt. I’m lead to believe Brelk-Xeral Erv is a less-controversial Qusmi’y with similar upside?”

“Erv doesn’t have as much history to prove their reliability, but winning the damn Youth Cup is a pretty solid indicator that they have an idea what they’re doing. That Atlov Juzuna team had statisticians salivating to figure out what made them tick, what Erv had them focusing on to get such a strong result so quickly. Hiring them on to the Reavers would give Mrii football an inside track to that secret and could be a boon to the sport as a whole across the country! Or it could flop terribly. I’d like to see more of what they’ll do for Atlov the next few seasons before considering them for a senior job like this, but it’s a name everyone should absolutely keep on their radar.”

“Fair enough--an inexperienced manager messing with things they shouldn’t could be catastrophic for the future of the team, so I see why you’d want to be cautious. How about we break up this list with something a little different? A Qusmi’y manager! Specifically, Cralt-Nirlo Fox.”

“Where does one even begin with Fox? Another skilled attacking mind with a record not too dissimilar to Hal’s, and with significantly more international experience. The Qadians always make qualifying an adventure, so it can’t be understated what they accomplished in World Cup 81. The following AOCAF wasn’t pretty, that’s true, but I always feel firing a manager off a bad regional performance is poor form. Most players won’t be as invested as they would be for the World Cup, and it takes a truly stellar manager to coax the best out of them in all situations--something I would say isn’t reasonable to expect of a manager, only to be appreciative of when you stumble into one who can.”

“What of Fox’s time with the Filindo national team in 80?”

“It was a stepping stone to get recognized in the international scene and nothing more, as far as I’m concerned. That they couldn’t work magic with a naff team doesn’t weigh heavily on my mind--the Reavers are not a naff team. Alas, I fear it’s not meant to be. Fox’s name has acquired a stigma across AO, and because of that the MNL isn’t likely to pony up however much would draw them away from a Nepharim Premiership gig.”

“Now that you mention it, it does feel like the average Mrii fan wouldn’t take kindly to Fox getting the job, even if they’re a good fit otherwise. Upsetting the twelfth player is always a big risk. Speaking of Nephara, though--well, Nephara-adjacent, at least--Brenecian Tailtiu Brennan is reportedly considering a move-”

“Wait, the Pikemouth manager? She’s an option?”

“Yes, the very one.”

“The fuck are we doing all this for? Go get her, obviously.”

OOC: Many thanks to Qusmo for compiling their manager listings for me to sort through!

[Nephara]

Nephara 4 - 1 Walenstein
(4-3-3) 12 - Mercator; 2 - Sanger, 22 - Reinhardt, 6 - Brosch (5 - Visser 87'), 3 - Rouphos; 14 - Kuepper, 4 - Marchant, 8 - Chalk (23 - Aschenbach 79'); 13 - Skapetis (7 - Kranevitter 71'), 9 - Wolff, 16 - Deventer
Goals: Deventer 23', Wolff 58', Chalk 62', Kranevitter 89'

Robostania 2 - 5 Nephara
(4-4-2) 20 - Taliadoros; 18 - Asante (2 - Sanger 78'), 5 - Visser, 6 - Brosch, 19 - Katarec; 13 - Skapetis, 15 - Brandtner (8 - Chalk 75'), 23 - Aschenbach, 11 - Exarchopolous; 9 - Wolff, 10 - Tzorvas
Goals: Brandtner 14', Skapetis 33' 45+1', Wolff 41', Tzorvas 80'

Centuries ago...
Rook Aries took a moment to admire himself in the mirror. A ghastly thing, decadent silver and gold, the frame almost drowning out the glass within it.
The Margrave of the Long Marches himself cut a fine figure, at least, in a theatrically beaten set of armour. He was a towering man of six and a half foot, broad in the shoulder, square in the jaw, blind in one eye with a long scar through it.
"Reckon we got enough streamed through the gates, boss!" his captain barked. "You ready to scrag the little cunt yet?"
The little cunt whined.
"Give him a good kick for me," Aries muttered. "I'm getting ready. Composin' myself."
She obliged. He whined some more, his broken crown wobbling precariously on his battered head. His finery had been wrenched from him, leaving him in a tattered purple tunic, deflated hose, a single sheepskin boot.
"Some fucking king this is," the captain said, with a derisive snort. "How many people in the northwest, and they pick... what, you? Spat out the arse end of a fancy family tree?"
"Maybe they picked him for the face," observed another officer, this one with one of the king's ermine mantles draped insolently over his armour. "He got it stamped on all his coins."
"Yeah? I'd rather see how it looks on the end of a pike."
At this, the would-be King sputtered, found some defiance. "You can't- you can't! This is treason-"
Aries laughed - a great, booming laugh, and his officers followed suit. "Treason, eh? I like it a hell of a lot better than 'Crownhome'." He wheeled, grabbed the King by his collar, and dragged him out into the overcast skies, in front of the crowds baying for blood. A few royalists in the crowd moaned or gasped, and soldiers in green tabards glanced at the faces, took mental note. Their work wasn't done yet.
Aries let the crowd cheer itself out, cutting them off near the end. "Citizens of the Confederacy of the Long Marches!" he boomed. "I bring the man who called himself your King."

The Present...
The crowd booed and jeered, getting into the spirit of the occasion. A broad-shouldered, popular boy in the mask of the Margrave got them going further, prowled the stage restlessly, hyped them up. Someone threw a tennis-ball at the King, a smaller figure, bouncing it off his head. A teacher looked over sharply. "Markus!" she hissed, but that just triggered further laughter in the audience.
The boy with the King's misshapen mask got unsteadily to his feet. "It is my birthright that brings me my title. Your def... defiance is not- does not stop that from being the truth."
Aidan Brosque shifted across in his chair, and leaned into his host's ear. "The kid playing the King always gets nervous," he murmured. "If the audience gets too hyped-up, they've been known to storm the stage."
"It's on-brand for the part," observed Triffid Ramsey, glancing across in the way that all parents do, to look for her kid.
A parent in front of them turned around with a severe expression, to reprimand them for the noise- then her eyes widened, and she turned back, face pale. Brosque grinned.
"- for I am King Cornelius, and you w- will bow before me!"
The crowd booed again. A masked plant in the audience stood and turned dramatically, before pointing at the King. "And I am the Artisan, one who crafts for the good of the nation! I name your true name, Arthur Howard - you are no King of mine!"
Another girl, long-boned and red-haired, did a little twirl as she stood from the now-cheering crowd. "And I am the Architect, one who builds up the nation! I name your true name, Arthur Howard - you are no King of mine!"
Another powerfully-built boy, almost a man, stood up - the crowd got even more intense, whipping itself up into a fever. "And I am the Archer, one who slew your henchmen to cleanse the nation! I name your true name, Arthur Howard - you are no King of mine!"
It was all news to Harriet Connell, Ramsey's wife. "Is this a cult thing?" she accidentally said aloud.
"It's just the annual pageant for Liberation Day, love," said Ramsey, soothing tone in her bizarre blend of accents. "The primary school kids do a, uh. I think it's Aries refusing and breaking the crown. Then the high schoolers re-enact the-"
"Well, hardly re-enact, it's a fucking play for kids, Triff," said Brosque.
"- the king being deposed, and his surrender. They love that, there's a fight and everything. And the college kids do the execution... oh, here she is!"
Kendra Ramsey strode forward, wearing an angular mask in terracotta - the colour of dried, common blood. "And I am the Hangman," she said, gravely. "Not for you the honour of the axe or sword. I will end your life as I have ended countless others - twitching on the end of a rope."
The Artisan, Architect and Archer dragged the would-be King to the wooden gallows, the Hangman put the noose around his neck, the Margrave announced his death sentence, the Hangman pulled a satisfyingly heavy lever and the King obligingly jumped into a hole under the gallows, seemingly into oblivion, though the rope's slackness betrayed his safety.
At that, the crowd went fucking wild.

After the pageant came the feast, here represented by the usual low-tier catering for school events like these. Aidan Brosque wasn't especially bothered - he was a man happy with gristle in his pies and instant gravy on his chips, despite the millions he'd earned from his career.
"Gotta say, your daughter's a natural Nepharim," he admired. "Must be popular, too, to get the part."
"I'm amazed she finds the time to be well-liked, with how much time the academy demands from her," Harriet said.
"It is what it is," said Brosque philosophically. "They get more schooling these days, anyway. It's probably for the best. If you didn't make it, in my day... and of course, most don't."
"I'm surprised to see you so progressive," said Ramsey drily.
Brosque's nose twitched. "Eh? Look, I know I look like some hard-Nephxit knuckle-dragger, but I ain't. Nobody wants to see kids fucked out of an honest living by the machine. Least of all..."
Footsteps came racing over, feet belonging to a long-legged, coltish girl, last spotted in a terracotta mask. Ramsey's hard face softened, Harriet's soft face glowed. "Kendra," they both said.
"You saw me, right?" she said, in a thick Schottic brogue that made Harriet give Brosque a meaningfully smug glance. "So weird! But kind of thrilling, too. You know, for a moment I was so there. Like I was really pulling that lever... wait, why are you here?"
Brosque looked the picture of innocence, grabbing another couple of sausage rolls from the buffet. "I'd better let you get on with things. You've got my number... Ramsey."

A couple of hours later, they were home. Kendra had been nudged off to her room after further assurances that, yes, they were all proud of her, with the understanding she was going to stay cooped up there until passing out after midnight. That left her mothers free to break out the moderately good wine and to discuss why, precisely, the national manager of the Cormorants had rocked up to their daughter's college.
"It's just absurd. All this talk of being Nepharim," said Harriet, wine elegantly perched between her fingers. She knew nothing about Nephara and cared little for football; it was part of her appeal, in Ramsey's eyes. "How long has she spent in this country?"
"A year," said Ramsey.
"Barely even that. She almost spent as much time in my womb. for Christ's sake. Can't say more Schottic than that, even leaving aside the fifteen years that came after..."
"She's learning how to be Nepharim now," said Ramsey firmly.
"Without you."
"I... look, I didn't expect to be abroad, let alone so soon-"
"But you took the job."
"My career comes first. Alissar have done right by me, I intend to do right by them. And..." Ramsey checked herself, sighed. "No, sorry. I'm... I know it's hard on you. You're managing, right?"
"I am." Harriet smiled tightly. It hurt being reminded of where the money came from in this relationship, the prestige, but... that pragmatism was as Nepharim as regicide. And Triff raking in the cash was how she got to stay home, with part-time interior decoration work spicing up her days. The slow pace of her life suited her - a slowly rounding waistline was testament to that - and Kendra was at an age where she needed guidance and oversight, not a constant, steady hand. "Thriving, really. New country, new challenges... I think I needed it. It's just this whole thing with Nepharim heritage. I didn't think you cared so much, frankly."
"I didn't, either," Ramsey admitted. "The country reminded me. My father was... hardly unknown in Schottia, but here? He's practically a God. It weighs on me, and the same burden falls on Kendra."
"All these youth managers keep sniffing around her. Have they talked to you, too?"
"Oh, yes."
"Is she... actually good enough?"
"I think so. Remember, I was never capped at any level. And the choice is hers, at the end of the day. It's... an informed choice, now. If she feels Schottic to her core, who am I to intervene?"
That took Harriet aback. "Really? You aren't going to insist on Nephara, even with this new... heritage factor? Your role as footballing royalty here, and all."
Ramsey chuckled, and refilled both their glasses. "Really, Harriet, if today's taught the two of you anything, it should be what Nephara does to its royalty..."

[Free Republics]

Sporting World

World Cup 82 Preview
By: Nova Hellstrom-Hancock

After an uneventful qualifying campaign that saw Soccer General Rule Theriault's Republican National Soccer Team, LLC easily qualify for the World Cup, World Cup 82 is set to begin. This year, the Republicans will play in Apox as part of Group A, which is already being called the Group of Life. Coming in at #8 in the KPB rankings after a 3rd place finish last year and having tied the first generation's record qualification streak at 4 consecutive qualifications, the Republicans are expected to make a deep run in this edition of the World Cup.

The first team standing in their way is the Commonwealth of Baker Park, ranked 21st in the KPB rankings. Baker Park debuted at BoF 67 just 2 years ago where they reached the final before falling to Beepee by a 4-3 margin as Carlo Bannan's hat trick proved too much for them. They had better luck in World Cup qualifying that year, finishing 3rd in their group behind Darmen and South Covello then defeating Qasden in a playoff to reach the World Cup. In the World Cup proper, they would secure a single victory on the 3rd and final matchday of the group stage, a 2-0 win over Ceni. Last year, they would return to the World Cup by winning their group outright and would then advance out of the group stage with a 1-1-1 record. South Covello eliminated them in the Round of 16 by a 1-0 margin. This year, they struggled early on in qualifying before running away with second place after getting hot at the end.

The second opponent for the FFR is Apox, who will be playing on their home soil this year. Apox are 3-time Campionato Esportiva champions though that comes with a caveat as two of those CEs are CE IV and CE V when Esportiva's best teams probably couldn't have made it out of the group stage of a Copa Rushmori or an AOCAF. The 3rd of those championships was a victory in Falatulu during that period when they claimed to be independent. Their only top 3 in a WCC-sanctioned tournament was a 2nd place finish at Cup of Harmony 58 where they lost to Saugeais in the final. After disappearing from the WCC tournaments for a few cycles just like we did, they also returned to qualifying for World Cup 78. However, they didn't even come close to qualifying in their first two cycles back and then lost a playoff to us 6-5 on aggregate 2 years ago. Last year, they finished second to The Holy Empire in their qualifying group, earning a repeat trip to the playoffs where they defeated Polkopia to reach the World Cup. Last year, they ended up in Group A where they managed 2 draws against Pasarga and Darmen and a loss to Banija. That was good enough for a last place finish in their group. They return to the World Cup this year as a host and thus have home field advantage but there is no serious doubt that Apox is by far the weaker of the two host sides this year and the weakest pot 1 team.

The third and final Republican opponent is the Cinderella of this year's World Cup qualification, Bongo Johnson. Ranked 78th in the multiverse, they have been in and out of the World Cup over the years, starting with an appearance in Baptism of Fire 48, where they failed to make it out of the group stage. They then participated in qualifying for World Cups 61 through 65, never making a serious push for qualification or receiving a Cup of Harmony invite. Records indicate that they attempted to enter World Cup 68 but did not even make it to qualifying. They would return in World Cup 73, going winless in qualifying and again for World Cup 74, where they managed 2 wins and even managed to draw the Republican National Team on the last day to send us into a playoff that we would lose to Gregoryisgodistan (now South Covello). They would again disappear after that, only to resurface for World Cup 78 to go 1-1-14 before disappearing again until last year. Last year, they finished 5-1-12, good for 9th in a 10 team group. Entering this World Cup cycle, they were a pot 7 team, ranked 156th in the KPB rankings. This year, they led Group 5 from coast to coast, finishing 10-3-5, as Ko-oren and Ethane had disastrously bad qualifying campaigns. However, they only had a goal difference of +4 and are considered one of the weakest World Cup sides in a long time. However, that only means they will be playing everybody extra hard to prove that they belong in the World Cup.

The Republican road back to the knockout rounds and their quest for the World Cup title that has eluded the great Rule Theriault for decades appears to be free of even the lightest of speed bumps. There's no Vilita or Nephara or Eura on the schedule, no matches with the ever-crafty Equestrian States, no battles with onetime powers seeking to return to glory like Starblaydia, Audioslavia and Cassadaigua. The Republicans just have to get past Baker Park, Apox and Bongo Johnson to reach the Round of 16. This definitely isn't the caliber of competition FBC was expecting for Theriault's team when they paid big money for the rights to broadcast the World Cup but there should be plenty of excitement regardless as everybody in this group will be giving the Republicans their best shot.

Nova Hellstrom-Hancock is the editor-in-chief of Sporting World, the coach for the Republican National Soccer Team, LLC Cheerleading Squad and one of the most decorated champions in the history of the (old) Republican Wrestling Conglomerate where she won the World Ladies Championship on 7 different occasions. At one time, she was a part-time international sports correspondent for Sporting World and a co-chair of the World Cup 68 Seeding Committee. She got her start covering high school soccer for the Petrograd Times before working for Sporting World. At one time, she played girls soccer for Petrograd Christian School. She was Sporting World's correspondent at the 27th Di Bradini Cup, the 52nd Baptism of Fire and during qualifying for the 65th World Cup before transitioning into a successful career as a professional wrestler. She lives in Falatulu with her husband Kieran.

[Apox]

United States of Devonta 0-0 Apox
USD: Cooper -- Brooks, Benton, Kindred, Liam -- Russell -- Abdullah (Crox 68'), Edwards (Washington 68') -- Owens -- Johansen (c) (Hill 73'), Adams
APX: Spitfire -- Quillisi, Scott, Jekyll (c), Redmond -- Drawbridge, Townsend (Koyaanisqatsi 70'), Magarhatery (Bridges 54') -- Ephraim-Garza, Blake-Tatum (Arrowsmith 70'), Quintero

Something of an uneasy start for Apox as they warm up for the World Cup 82 finals with an away draw against the United States of Devonta. Luxulya St. Cleer rotates things around a little bit, notably handing the young Trajan Quillisi a start, the first time that three generations of one family have played for Apox, following in the footsteps of father Armando and grandfather Jon. Apox start brightly, Marcy Blake-Tatum nearly repaying the trust shown in her to start, but a good save by Bradley Cooper denied her a goal. Afterwards, the Devontans settled into a good rhythm and denied any further clear cut Apoxian opportunites, even testing Tregatta Spitfire a couple of times in goal. The second half saw St Cleer make an early change, the productive Aspen Bridges thrown on for the misfiring Jarls Magarhatery and while Apox improved, and then improved again with the fresh legs of Winston Arrowsmith and Archibald Koyaanisqatsi in the 70th minute, it was still not possible to find a way through a firm Devontan defense. A blank drawn then, in the first warm-up game.

Apox 2-2 Qasden Blake-Tatum 15', Unknown 26', Unknown 29', Townsend 68'
APX: Rasmussen -- Fox (Beck 83'), Scott, Wallis-Iqbal (Lancaster 55'), du Plessis -- Menheniot, Townsend, Palmisano J. (c) -- Arrowsmith (Palmisano, L. 67'), Blake-Tatum, Hannibal (Quintero 67')
QAS: Not supplied

A very different game then against Qasden, with the 24th ranked side travelling to Apox for an early taste of what World Cup action might be like. If this game is anything to go off, it'll certainly be exciting! Apox, as they often do, started brightly, Winston Arrowsmith and debuting Talon Hannibal gamely running the channels and providing Marcy Blake-Tatum with plenty of balls into dangerous areas. One of them had to stick, and she powered a header in from a beautiful Imriel Townsend cross in the 15th minute, giving Apox a deserved lead at that point. Things seemed to be progressing nicely until three minutes of utter chaos midway through the first half, with the usually reliable Brevin Scott and then Vesta Rasmussen being a fault for the goals. It speaks volumes of Brevin Scott's character though, as the experienced player in the defense for this game, that he managed to calm things down to avoid the game running away from the team and they built themselves back into contention, until a through ball from Ayrton Fox found Imriel Townsend just outside the box, allowing her to send the ball nicely in for an equaliser. Though the team pressed late on for a winner, it was nearly Qasden who found one, a spectacular sliding tackle from Chardonnay du Plessis being preventing a runaway goal.

Apox 5-1 Filindostan Ephraim-Garza 15', Palmisano L. 18', Shiloh 40', Gandhi Os. 55', Magarhatery 60', Ephraim-Garza 72'
APX: Rasmussen -- Quillisi, Gandhi Os., Jekyll (c), du Plessis (Belgrave 84') -- Menheniot (Mormentor 63'), Townsend, Magarhatery (Llangolan 63') -- Ephraim-Garza (Oakstone-Sandoval 75'), Palmisano L. (Blake-Tatum 56'), Hannibal
FID: Cahya -- Claudius, Braham, Kadek, Chanchan (Sormin E. 45'); Sutikno -- Shiloh, Mordecai [c], Ryan (Bilhah 76') -- Kris, Rai Sanada (Bienvenido 61')

Maybe this Apoxian side has more strength in depth than previously thought? Luxulya St. Cleer started with quite an experimental set of personnel, but it seemed to work against a Filindostan side who did well in the end in qualifying. Credit must go to Clarissa Ephraim-Garza who continues to look more and more crucial to this side. Her running and energy on the wing left Chanchan for dead every time, and even though he was replaced at half-time, his replacement, Sormin, fared little better. Overall it was a pretty strong team performance, with Ephraim-Garza, the younger Palmisano and Hannibal running the show up front. There was a slight lapse in the defensive mindset of the team in the 40th minute, and Filindostan made Apox pay with their best chance of the match - however, this performance just demonstrates what this team can achieve under St. Cleer's 4-1-2-3 system when they're at their peak.

Darmen 1-0 Apox Blackwood 64'
DAR: Campo -- Virgo, Abbey, Maddox (Spalding 73') -- Goldschmidt -- Ó Cuilinn, Winton (Svendsen 73'), Butler, Stafford -- Lucanus (Hurst 61'), Blackwood
APX: Spitfire -- Fox, Scott, Jekyll, Redmond (du Plessis 72') -- Menheniot, Townsend (Koyaanisqatsi 72'), Palmisano J. (c) -- Ephraim-Garza, Blake-Tatum, Quintero (Arrowsmith 62')

A pretty much full strength Apoxian side faces the highly ranked Darmen for the final pre-WC qualifying game and while they certainly do not disgrace themselves, it is a little worrying. Darmen are the kind of calibre of opposition we can expect to face in the finals competition. The defense was largely compact, but in facing a team with Goldschmidt in that defensive midfield position, and Butler and Winton able to cover the defense as well, the St Cleer system struggled a little. Darmen played a fluid passing style, with quick counter-attacks keeping the defense on their toes, and despite having creative players of our own, large spells of possession football quelled the creative spirit of the Apoxians. The pressure built until Goldschmidt managed to slip the ball through to Craig Blackwood who rifled home a goal. The release of pressure seemed to only benefit the Darmeni, and it was Tregatta Spitfire who was called upon to make good saves more often than Hyman Campo in the latter stages of the game. Still things to be ironed out in the Apoxian team then, as we prepare for the World Cup itself.

[Mercedini]

Thanks to Lisander for providing details of their match

82nd World Cup Qualification MD18 LIVE
Mercedini vs. Pratapgadh
@ Zoloroni Sports City Stadium - Zoloroni, Mercedini

Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome back to the Zoloroni where the Mercedinian National Team conclude their World Cup Qualification campaign with a home match against already eliminated Pratapgadh. It has been a long and arduous campaign for the Golden Eagles in the 15th and final qualification group, with disappointing losses and shock results all leading up towards a nail-biting conclusion for the very final spot at the World Cup, hosted by Valanora and Apox. This is a story split into two parts tonight, with this match also being mirrored by the match held in Sirenia between Lisander and Garifunya, and we will have all the goal updates from that match in parallel with our live coverage of the match here in Zoloroni. The formula is simple, Lisander must better Dini's result in terms of points to qualify as the lowest ranked team within a generation. The Golden Eagles can do the job with a simple win against a mediocre team who are guaranteed to finish the cycle in mid-table. A capacity crowd is present in the Sports City Stadium, with an expectant crowd hoping to see Mercedini qualify for their third World Cup by the end of the night. There will either shades of black and blue, or shades of green and gold in about two hours time.

---

0' - It's full circle in the campaign as Mercedini select another strong squad, so finish as they begun at home with Chillotov and Dostalok upfront and Hosset in goal in his beautifully designed ediraf goalkeeper's jersey. Further youth representation is present in the squad once again with Karlovic selected in the midfield plus Brindliev given the role of full-back in such a crucial match. The rest are unchanged with this being the last chance for players to state their case to be on the plane to either the Cup of Harmony or the World Cup. We have eyes on the match in Sirenia, so let's check up on the match which I believe is in it's infancy...

2' - (LIS 0-0 GAR) - A couple of minutes gone in this match with neither team asserting their dominance so far, both teams have gone all out in their starting line-ups, Lisander are within touching distance of making history while Garifunya are trying to grab some points at the death following a difficult campaign for their players. Another unsurprising capacity crowd in Sirenia with the match under lights, it will be interesting to see how these players react to information as it trickles in from the games around them. Two minutes played, still 0-0.

7' - (MRC 0-1 PRT) - Goal, and it's an absolute disaster for Mercedini as they go down to ten men within the first ten minutes, and they concede from the subsequent free kick in some kind of cruel double blow for the national team. It's shades of Banija all over again as Chillotov sees red, figuratively and literally as he lashes out following a clumsy tackle from his marker. It is a big game for the team so tempers are fraught, but this is the last thing the team needs, especially with young and impressionable youngsters on the pitch and in the crowd. Boos ring out around the stadium, as Chillotov walked down the tunnel, I'm not too sure whether they are for the Mercedinian or for the referee. Pratapgadh had a free-kick in a dangerous position, but the poor connection meant it deflected off the ball and back towards the original kicker, he took another shot at goal, which ended up in the bottom corner of the net for the opening goal. A big goal in the scheme of things, Lisander have hope, 1-0!

12' - (MRC 0-1 PRT) - Mercedini have recovered well from that opening goal and don't seem like a team with a goal disadvantage, Lyndainium has moved the team around with the team effectively playing a 4-3-1-1 with Karlovic moving upward to support Dostalok, the lone striker on the pitch. We have had a goal here in Zoloroni, and I believe we have a goal over in Lisander, but which way has it gone?

14' - (LIS 1-0 GAR) - It's all going the way of Lisander in the first quarter hour, their rivals a goal down and a man down, and now the National have opened the scoring in their own match to give themselves a major advantage in the table for the time being. It's Somerville who has converted from close range to send the home crowd into ecstasy, Dini now need to score at least twice to get themselves back into this race for qualification, it's building up to be a wild climax here in Lisander, as they lead 1-0.

22' - (MRC 0-2 PRT) - Pratapgadh have thrown caution to the wind as they score a second just past the twenty minute mark in Zoloroni, it was supposed to be a fortress for the national team, but the visitors have raced themselves into a 2-0 smash and grab with only their second shot on target in the match. Information about Lisander's goal has only just filtered through to the tens of thousands in attendance tonight, with plenty of glum faces as the camera pans across the home crowd. This time it came from a corner which wasn't dealt with, which meant one of their players could simply prod home inside the six yard box to silence the nation and leave the only noise coming from their several hundred travelling fans. Who would've thought this was possible?!

26' - (MRC 1-2 PRT) - The goals continue to flow in Zoloroni as Mercedini get one back to give their fans hope of a comeback with ten men. Dostalok expectedly gets the goal following a well worked move as the team composed themselves as the fans mood was sinking all around them. Garzallo squared it low across the box as Dostalok lost his marker to allow himself the time and the space to hit the ball first time into the far side of the goal. Karlovic was in the mix and was looking to get a touch just in case the goalkeeper spilled it, he picked up the ball and took it straight back to the half-way line for a quick restart. 2-1 now, they still need two more goals as long as Lisander are leading in the other match.

33' - (MRC 1-3 PRT) - Pratapgadh are showing now mercy in front of goal as they score a third and put their opponents back where they were about five minutes or so ago. The defending is little better than crap on show tonight, and in the exact scenario when they need it not to be. Their main striker beat the offside trap fairly convincingly which gave them the freedom of the final third to slip the ball underneath the sprawling body of Hosset for 3-1 to the visitors. Where was this performance during the rest of quals?

38' - (MRC 1-3 PRT) - Dini go close yet again in this match but they couldn't get another goal back in this game, leaving their current deficit at two. I hear there has been another goal in the match featuring Lisander and Garifunya, so let's go over there and see whether Lisander are inching closer to their first World Cup, or whether Garifunya has spoiled the party and given Mercedini hope that they can come back.

40' - (LIS 1-1 GAR) - The champagne has been put back on ice in Lisander as Garifunya has come back with an equaliser to add another twist in this tail. It came from a mix up from a set piece which allowed the visitors to nip in at the back post to restore parity in the match. Lisander are dragged back for the moment, it seems as if Dini's biggest hope is for Garifunya to pull back Lisander to allow them to slip through. One-all!

42' - (MRC 2-3 PRT) - The goals keep on coming, that's the fifth goal of the night and we are barely at the end of the first half in this match. With Lisander being pegged back, the hosts only need one goal to qualify as it stands as that would send them through on goal difference. It's Garzallo with an opportunistic striker which nestled in the top corner of the goal, it is the best goal of the game so far, but that counts for nothing if Dini are relegated back to the Cup of Harmony again. There's another goal in the match in Lisander, has the National put themselves back ahead at this crucial point?

43' - (LIS 1-2 GAR) - More twists than a Hollywood blockbuster means Dini are now in position to qualify for the World Cup with both teams in contention being tripped up by their opponents. Two goals in three minutes has put Garifunya ahead away from home which would be a great end to a rather lacklustre campaign for the team in black and red. It's not turning out to be the match that Lisander wanted either, 2-1 Garifunya!

45+1' - (MRC 3-3 PRT) - GOAL!! Parity is restored to the match and now it's Mercedini that's now in the driving seat as they edge a point ahead with that goal difference advantage in the group stage, so it's Lisander who need to score twice to creep back in front. Dostalok has scored his second and the team's third to but them back where they were at the very start of the game. More terrible defending, this time from Pratapgadh, as the Starling striker ran through three players before firing past the goalkeeper and into the net. Six goals in the first half is not unprecedented from a Mercedinian side, although in a cycle where matches have been decided by the odd goal or two, we could be in for a jam-packed second half on the case of it. 3-3 now!

45+4' - (MRC 3-3 PRT) - Well, well, well, there we have it. A very intriguing first half to the match saw six goals split evenly between the two teams to give a great showing to the fans in attendance and watching on their TVs at home. Pratapgadh has given themselves a showing few throughout possible at the start of the game, with defending from both sides left wanting on numerous occasions throughout the match, meaning it's been entertaining and end to end for most of the half. Whoever bet on this is probably very rich by now, but at the end of the first half it's Mercedini 3, Pratapgadh 3.

HALF TIME
Mercedini 3 - 3 Pratapgadh
Dostalok 26', 45+1', Garzallo 42' • unknown 7', 22', 33'

---

Lisander 1-2 Garifunya

Welcome back to the Sports City Stadium where we are embroiled in a fascinating cat and mouse game between Mercedini and Lisander, who are indirectly battling for the thirty-second and final spot at the World Cup in Valanora and Apox. As it stands, Mercedini's single point gained from their 3-3 draw is proving to be the difference thus far as they sit one point ahead of Lisander, who are currently drawing a blank at home to Garifunya. Both sets of fans have their phones at the ready to be the first in the know if there is any development in either match. Both matches are balancing on a knife edge, and with so much time available to both teams until the final whistle is blown, even one goal could change the complexion on the group and how the team deal with the building pressure and the clock. The teams are back out for the second half, a second half which could define this group of players.

50' - (MRC 3-3 PRT) - Mercedini have started this match the stronger and are really beginning to build up a head of steam as they start the second half with a clean slate. The fans are beginning to get behind their team now, after their performance towards the end of the first half, they believe they can grind out a result to ensure the Lisander result is rendered irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Its difficult to forget that Mercedini are a man down on the pitch, but the quality has shone through in the end between the two sides, they just need to finish off the job.

57' - (MRC 4-3 PRT) - GOAL. That could be the goal which sends the Golden Eagles to the World Cup, and they look to be in fine on their way to it aswell as Dostalok completes his hattrick just before the hour mark to complete his team's comeback with a man down. The defending was lacking at the start, but as legs are tiring there are even more holes for teams to find when opening up their opposition. A diagonal by Karlovic found the run of Dostalok who took a touch away from the goalkeeper before rolling the ball into the net for a fourth Mercedinian goal. That could be the nail in the coffin for the dream of Lisander, news of that goal seems to be filtering through as they sit a goal down in their match. It's all change from an hour ago when both teams were in completely different situations.

59' - (MRC 5-3 PRT) - Dini are turning the screw against both Pratapgadh and Lisander as Presic scores within two minutes of Dostalok to put Dini within touching distance of the World Cup by now. It came from a breakaway move with Garzallo moving forward and making his way to the by-line before sending in a cross and finding Presic who nodded home unchallenged. Eight goals with still half an hour left to play, it's interesting to see how both teams react.

72' - (MRC 5-3 PRT) - No let up in the action as both Dini and Pratapgadh attempt to get another goal on the board for their own tallies, for the hosts its to make the match safer than it currently is, for the visitors it's mainly for pride and the potential to trip up their opposition to allow the underdogs of Lisander to scrape through, although the National still need to score again to uphold their own side of the bargain. Twenty minutes between Dini and a spot at the World Cup. Can they hold out?

77' - (MRC 5-4 PRT) - Things just got a bit more squeeky in the Sports City Stadium as the visitors grab a fourth with time running out, keeping them within one and meaning a single goal could take two points away from the tally of Mercedini and putting them within striking distance of a Lisander comeback. It simply came from a corner which wasn't marked well, meaning Hosset was helpless as the bullet header sailed easily into the net. We could hit double figures in the match, and the teams have about fifteen minutes to do it. There has also been a big goal in Lisander, so let's check that out.

81' - (LIS 2-2 GAR) - Lisander are giving it a real good go in the final ten minutes of their game as they find an equaliser of their own to add another point to their tally. Time is running out on the team to find a winner in the match to at least uphold their side, but with Dini in the lead in Zoloroni, it may not be enough for the National. 2-2 in Lisander, what have they got left in them to make it difficult for Mercedini when they aren't even playing them?

87' - (MRC 6-4 PRT) - That could be it for Mercedini as they reassert their two goal lead in the match to all but stamp their ticket to a third World Cup, and who else but future star Johan Karlovic to score it and send his team to either Valanora or Apox, rather safely in the end. A Dostalok shot was deflected into the path of the Spartangrad midfielder who swept it under the keeper for his first, Dini's sixth and the matches' tenth goal. It's a matter of time, especially with their main rivals failing to win at home.

90+1' - (MRC 6-4 PRT) - That's it! The referee blows his whistle for the end of the match, and that means Mercedini have gone out of the labyrinth intact and stronger as a team as they put three points on the board to claim second place in the group. We already knew Dini had qualified when news filtered through that Lisander were held to a draw at home, but the conclusion of the eighteenth and final game officially puts Mercedini back in the big time for the second consecutive cycle. Ten goals in front of a capacity crowd is certainly encouraging for the team, They have plenty of support around them as the prepare for life at the World Cup. At the end of it all, it's finished Mercedini 6, Pratapgadh 4. Mercedini have qualified for the 82nd World Cup.

FULL TIME
Mercedini 6 - 4 Pratapgadh
Dostalok 26', 45+1', 57', Garzallo 42', Presic 59', Karlovic 87' • unknown 7', 22', 33', 77'

---

Lisander 2-2 Garifunya

That's it from us, Mercedini have made it back to promised land for a third crack of making it out of the group stage. The former Cup of Harmony champions have a 1-0-5 record at World Cup Finals matches, so they hope to chalk up a couple more points against the world's greatest teams to increase their ranking and give their players more experience against teams they hope to be beating in future cycles. They will likely go into the tournament as a side in Pot 3 or 4, meaning they will have to overcome teams ranked well above them if they want to have any chance of making it to the knockout rounds. As always, Mercedini Sports Daily will continue to cover all of the World Cup action. From Zoloroni, goodnight!

[Audioslavia]

You won’t believe who Audioslavia drew in the World Cup

^{Starblaydia, Audioslavia and Valanora will contest Group E alongside Nova Anglicana}

Audioslavia national football team manager Wilf Lidgley nodded and smiled as Audioslavia were drawn into Group E of World Cup 82, alongside a powerful Nova Anglicana side and southern AO heavyweights, and hosts, Valanora. Lidgley had been on the record stating that he’d have preferred to base his Audioslavia team in his native Apox for the finals, but the prospect of a tasty showdown between Valanora and Audioslavia clearly has Lidgley excited.

And then Starblaydia came out of the hat. And people cheered. And laughed. Lidgley did the white-guy-blinking thing, for once memeing people without realising.

Audioslavia’s path to World Cup 82 was supposed to be tough. Darkmania and Lochario were capable of beating anyone on their day, while Drawkland had been tipped by many to either run the Bulls close or surpass them altogether.

As it happened, Audioslavia lost only twice on the way to a comfortable qualifying campaign, narrowly losing out on the group’s top spot on goal difference to a Eura side that had the better of Audioslavia over the two matches.

With Audioslavians relaxed by their team’s good form and good fortunes, they began to look elsewhere and found that, in the lowest two groups, Krytenia and Starblaydia were making a complete mess of their qualifying runs.

Krytenia ultimately fell, but Starblaydia surprised all by hauling back a six-point deficit to qualify ahead of a shoogly Filindostan.

Upon being drawn into Group E alongside Audioslavia, the Starblaydis have the chance to dish out a fresh slice of karma to those that guffawed at their misfortune. Will this be the first documented instance of an NS nation’s memes being used against them?

A mid-qualifying run of only two wins in seven games - albeit one of those a crushing 5-2 away win at group winners Cassadaigua, coming only weeks after the lilac livers had somehow contrived to lose to Tiiwark - saw Starblaydia fourth and Cup of Harmony bound with only a handful of games to go. The loss of a six-pointer to Filindostan, however, would be the side’s last defeat before a march into second place, helped in no small amount by Filindostan crumbling under the pressure of everyone in the world wanting them to not fuck up. They fucked up. Starblaydia are here, and Starblaydia are keen on taking the plethora of memes generated from these north-eastern islands and shoving somewhere unnatural and uncomfortable.

Ediraf have recently ensured that Starblaydia come to World Cup 82 dressed a Pro Evo version of themselves.

Valanora will be co-hosting their seventh World Cup, as many as Vilita and Turori have put together and more than any individual nation has managed in the past.

In fact, when talking about the World Cup its pretty much impossible to use the words ‘most’ or ‘best’ without mentioning the Marauders. Their five World Cups are only matched by Starblaydia, and their thirty three appearances (33!) in the last eight of the World Cup are far, far in advance of the next best of Audioslavia (19), Starblaydia (18), The Holy Empire (18), Bedistan (17) and Vilita (16). Even a combined Vilita and Turori have only 27 between them.

When it comes to the final four, Valanora do have a habit of losing semi-finals, with a whopping eleven defeats from eighteen games at the penultimate stage - again, both numbers are the most of any other nations - and though Audioslavia have reached more finals and The Holy Empire have reached one more World Cup than Valanora - pretty much nobody can match them in any relevant metric and, of all the teams who have won three or more World Cups, few would bet against Valanora being the first to make it to number six.

Nova Anglicana made quiet progress in group 4 of qualifying, making the cut with a modest 10-5-3 record, enough for a World Cup berth thanks largely to Barunia's utter implosion, Zwangzug's inability to do justice to the masses of experience they have and Jeruselem deciding to do only just enough to qualify for their forty-sixth World Cup.

Nova Anglicana will play in kits created by Vulpine Sportif, which is a bit like watching the World Cup on a CRT television or having WIndows XP installed on your laptop - it does the trick, but surely you'd have decided to change things up at some point over the last umpteen years?

Matchday One
A Third Placed Playoff in the Opening Game?
Three of the four combatants in Group E (we’ll leave you to figure out which ones we’re talking about) occupy the summit of the SRS Rankings run by the WCC’s hall of fame. it may surprise you to discover that the top performing team in the SRS are actually not Valanora but long since retired Bedistan, who attained a… nah, just kidding, it’s Valanora and it’s Valanora by a long way. Haven’t you been paying attention?

In second place comes the Holy Empire on 148 points to Valanora’s nigh-on insurmountable 170. In third place are Audioslavia on 125 and in fourth are Starblaydia on 124.

With one point being awarded for qualifying, all the above teams’ scores have already increased by one. Should Starblaydia progress and Audioslavia not, something that would be likely should Starblaydia take victory in the opening game, Starblaydia would leapfrog Audioslavia into third place in the SRS rankings.

The battle here is not only over which team should progress and/or is the better in COCANEFA, or Atlantian Oceania, or the World, but also which of the teams is the most historically relevant in the history of the Nationstates World Cup.

Good lord.

Audioslavians can take some confidence from the fact that the Bulls and the Putrid Puce have met thrice before on Matchday One of the World Cup (a fraction over 1/20th of all World Cups start with Audioslavia playing Starblaydia), with Audioslavia taking victory on each occasion in World Cups 17, 24 and 78. Indeed, Audioslavia even won their one other World Cup Finals match against Starblaydia. We forget the occasion.

Valanora Look to Steal a March
With the other heavyweights exchanging haymakers elsewhere, Valanora will look to make home advantage count in a crucial game with Nova Anglicana. Win this, and the Marauders will be a third of the way to yet another World Cup knockout stage, and with it the chance to eliminate either their rivals or a team from north-eastern AO who they don’t have a rivalry with.

Matchday Two
Just Business

^{Audioslavia, Starblaydia and Valanora appear on each other’s ‘biggest defeat’ record lists}

It’s a sore point for Starblaydia that their worst ever defeat in international football came at the hands of their bitter rivals, a 1-7 reverse on the opening day of World Cup 39 qualifying.
Audioslavia are responsible for Valanora’s worst-ever defeat, a 4-0 result in Valanora’s first ever match, while Valanora are responsible for Audioslavia’s worst ever defeat, a 0-5 opening-day drubbing in World Cup 37’s qualifying phase. For Vanorans, however, there’s no animosity. They see Audioslavians as just another international football team between themselves and the truly big games of international football.

Audioslavians had naturally assumed that, when you play against your regionmates in important games across World Cup semi-finals, AOCAF finals and World Cup qualifying, thrash each other 4-0, 5-2, 5-0 and 4-2, often in front of each other’s home fans, and routinely have players plying their trade in each other’s leagues and have vastly different opinions of what football is (a pursuit of glory / an excuse to get drunk and sing 400 year-old songs about fighting goblins), how it should be played (no diving, no gamesmanship, respect your opponent, play to win / cheating is part of the game and if it’s done well and benefits people you love then you’re a fool not to do it), how it should be run (exactly so / however you like as long as its engaging) and what you should wear while doing it (blue unless we have to wear alternate uniforms, in which case not blue/anything but blue unless its our away strip, in which case occasionally blue) then you’d naturally develop a rivalry over the years.

But no. Valanora will have a workmanlike attitude to the game. They’ll have one eye on Starblaydia and another on the trophy.

When Audioslavia score a good goal against Valanora, the Vanoran fans tend to applaud. In doing so, Vanorans have accidentally stumbled upon a singularly acute way of tormenting Audioslavians. We gesture at our TV screens and shout 'BuT wE'rE yOu'Re RiVaLs' at it as they graciously applaud anything we do that's good.

The bastards.

Either way, the loser of matchday two’s Valanora/Audioslavia encounter may well find themselves going home early. For Valanora, to be eliminated after matchday two of their own tournament would be difficult to take. For Audioslavia, going 0-0-2 against their regional rivals would be a blow to their confidence as they try to rise through the ranks once more.

Star Hope to Avoid Tiiwark Syndrome
That Starblaydia managed to take one measly point in total from Tiiwark was the source of most of the memes coming from Audioslavian laptops and smartphones last year. Nova Anglicana, for all their also-ran-ness in this group, are no Tiiwark, but are still dangerous and will test a Starblaydi side that will either be gunning for an automatic spot in the finals or trying to claw their way into contention for top spot.

Matchday Three
Audioslavia vs Nova Anglicana
Audioslavia have a short history with Nova Anglicana - a slice of beef much thinner than that which they have with their other groupmates. Nova Anglicana stopped Audioslavia from having a lossless record in World Cup 72 qualifying via a 2-1 defeat with two games to go, after the Bulls had won the first encounter 1-0.

That Audioslavia play the (barely) lowest ranked side on matchday three could be either an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on how you look at it.

Should we have gained even a solitary point over the series with the jokers and blue ochres then qualification will at least be possible on matchday three even if it isn’t possible, if Audioslavia manage to beat Nova Anglicana. On the other hand, Audioslavia’s first eleven are pretty much on a par with that of their matchday three opponents and, even if Audioslavia are on three or four points after the first two games, they really do need to be at full strength for this final game and not mentally or physically exhausted by two incredibly tough games.

Gimmie Five
Whether Valanora vs Starblaydia will be a dead rubber or not, either because they both dismantled Audioslavia and Nova Anglicana or both capitulated to the group’s bottom seeds, this is a match that neither want to lose. The 21-game series between Valanora and Starblaydia stretches back to that ignominious 1-7 in the opening meeting and encompasses a World Cup quarter-final, semi-final and final along with six meetings in the AOCAF Cup. Both sides can comfortably lay claim to being the best in history. Valanora have the better record in getting through to the final stages of World Cups, but Starblaydia have more silverware (11 major trophies to Valanora’s (and Audioslavia’s) 9. Valanora are top of the SRS rankings but Starblaydia are the team who tends to win out on the big stage when the two teams play.

History

Head to Head to Head All-Time League          | NSWC Matches
              Pld  W  D  L  F  A WCs Oth SRS  | Pld  W  D  L Pts
Valanora       31 14  5 12 61 50   5   4 170  |  11  6  0  5  18
Starblaydia    31 10  6 15 41 53   5   6 124  |  12  3  1  8  10
Audioslavia    22 12  1  9 34 33   2   4 125  |  11  7  1  3  22

AUD vs VAL: P11 W6 D0 L5
VAL vs STB: P21 W9 D5 L6*
STB vs AUD: P11 W4 D1 L6

*does not include olympic or youth matches

What role does history play in these fixtures? The smart answer is next to none. Sure, the three big teams in Group E have won 26 major trophies between them (thirteen AOCAFs, twelve World Cups and a Baptism of Fire. And yes, though that BoF win was ours, it is perhaps a little cheeky to say 'we've won 26 between us' when the other two teams account for 20 of those trophies), have scunnered each other in big games at various points in history and lay claim to a great deal of records and accomplishments both separately (Valanora hold the record for the most semi-finals reached, Audioslavia have the record for the most finals reached, Starblaydia hold the silverware record for a single team) and together (the sides account for a third of all AO's World Cup wins, a fraction under 25% (24.7%) of all World Cup finals played to date have featured one of the three teams), but the fact remains that none of these three teams are currently ranked within the world's top ten and, even with Vanoran home advantage, very few football fans would etch either team into their list of favourites for the tournament. This is not the jolt era, in which time Valanora and Starblaydia won the vast majority of their gold, nor is it the 60s, wherein Valanora won their last NSWC-affiliated title and Audioslavia won their only gold. For Audioslavia and Starblaydia, the golden generations are long since disappeared over the horizon. Valanora continue with many of the greats of old, but either their skills have diminished or the world has finally caught up to them.

Any weight that history has will be felt in the stomachs of the players running out onto the pitch. Vanoran players will look over at their white-and-purple clad cousins on Matchday Three and feel, deep down, a nagging sense that it would be they alone at the top of the game if not for Starblaydia's glut of trophies won largely before Vanoran football existed. Starblaydi players will see the exact players their ancestors shouted obscenities at through monochrome TV screens and wonder if they, more than their forebears, would be good enough to tip their lop-sided record against Valanora back towards their favour. They'll look over at Audioslavia on Matchday One and see a side who consider themselves Starblaydia's peers in every way, and will feel in many ways that the men in claret simply aren't. Audioslavia's players will note the Starblaydis lining up next to them in the tunnel are two inches taller, to a man, all tans and white teeth and hollywood good looks and will feel a folk memory of their ancestors' urge to wipe the cocky smile right off their faces. They'll glare up at the Vanorans on Matchday Two and wince at the fact that their opponents are offering warm best-man-may-win handshakes. The Vanorans will look over at the Audioslavian eleven and simply agree with one another: We should take this lot.

Cue Nova Anglicana going three for three and the fogies battling for scraps on the nursing home floor.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

World Cup Factsheet—Football Association of the Commonwealth of Baker Park

(For general release; further information available-- contact Sasha Henderson, FAC Director of Media/Press Relations)

The Commonwealth National Team prepare for their third consecutive World Cup Finals appearance, looking to take another step up the ladder of multiverse soccer. They enter the 82nd edition of the tournament Finals on the cusp of the top 20 nations in the sport, having risen to 21st in the rankings following the qualifying campaign. After a sluggish start in Group 9, Baker Park sailed through to a solid runner-up spot behind a near perfect Nephara, winning 12 of their final 15 matches.

Richmond finally catches "Mr. Charlie": National Team Manager Trevor Richmond made history twice during the Group 9 schedule. The first qualifying match against Nantians & Nosts, was the 78th match Richmond was in charge, while the 6-2 win over Robostania on match day 16 was his 44th victory during his tenure.
Both records were held by former manager George Charleston, who led the National Team for 11 years between 1981 and 1992. Charleston won 43 of his 77 matches in charge with only 22 losses and 12 draws (Richmond had already surpassed both of those totals as well). Richmond's record now stands at 47-26-18 since he was named boss midway through 2012.

Scott also makes history: Women's National Team Manager Pamela Scott, who will assist Richmond during World Cup 82 as she did in WC 81, also has rewritten an entry in the record book. With her stints as manager during the Baptism of Fire, the AOCAF and leading one of the squads during both the previous two qualifying tournaments, Scott has now amassed a record of 22-5-4, which moves her into 3rd on the all-time managerial wins list, behind the top 2.

500 bookended by defeat: The FAC celebrated the 500th match in Baker Park history with a celebratory friendly match at Keller Field against 5-time World Cup Champions, Starblaydia. An array of former players & coaches were recognized prior to the match and the crowd of over 56,000 saw a display worthy of the visitors' reputation, as the Starbladis came away with a 3-0 victory. Defeat in milestone matches is nothing new for the Black & Gold—previous friendlies marking the 250th, 300th, 400th & the 100th Anniversary of the FAC have all seen the National Team come up empty. Following that match and another friendly to mark the first ever multiverse match for The Embetican Imperium in their capital—a 2-1 win for BP—the overall record of the National Team stands at 232-184-85 since the first match played in 1934.

Familiar Faces: This edition of the World Cup sees only 1 nation from outside of the top 50 make the field, 78th ranked Bongo Johnson, who face off against Baker Park on matchday 2. For the first time, the Bees have been drawn into a group with the host nation of a tournament, as they will face Apox on the final day of group matches. Their opening opponent will be The Federation of Free Republics, co-hosts of the last Cup, where the Commonwealth played their matches on the way to the Round of 16. In strange twist, the WC 81 cycle opened for BP with a friendly against Apox, and ended with both a friendly against FFR just prior to the start of the tournament, and of course the team's final match taking place there as well.
In addition, the other two nations who played friendlies in that cycle—Banija and Qusmo—have also advanced to the tournament; Qusmo making their debut, and Banija qualifying for the 3rd straight time (although they were co-hosts in the previous edition). Baker Park is one of 12 nations who have made it to these Finals from Atlantian Oceana, not including co-hosts Valanora.

Coverage and Support: All three matches will be shown live on CBC1, with Mark Tolbert and Craig Snyder handling the commentary and David Blake hosting an in-studio panel for the pre & post game analysis. All of the "Big Four" National newspapers have reporters on hand and there will also be radio coverage on National Radio.

O, Captain: Continuing the tradition of FAC teams since the advent of the mixed-sex squads. players held a secret ballot on arrival in Apox to vote for co-captains. Evan Ashcroft and Erica Shaw will serve in that role following the announcement of the results.

Please change my style mod to +2.4 I have updated the roster thread to include the most current caps, and other info plus unis. https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=35413863#p35413863

[Banija]

Banija falls 'disastrously' to Freeport by a score of 3-1 on home soil as they prepare for the World Cup


Sonar Amethyst celebrates a stunning volley to put Freeport ahead 1-0 early on

DODOMO, BUNYORO REGION- Getting to World Cup 82, of course, was the easy part. It wasn't easy at all, of course, as Banija, even though favorites the whole way and in an automatic qualification spot in the standings for basically the entire campaign, had to struggle and earn their way there. They had to overcome a shock upset loss to Grod Island, 3-1 at home, which showed that the Kadongo Kamu, for all the bright spots in the campaign, are always capable of laying an egg at an inopportune moment. However, even that wasn't enough to knock them out of second place, as the Banijans qualified with comfort, clinching their spot in the World Cup Finals with a 0-0 draw on their final home game, on the penultimate matchday of qualifying. That, of course, was something that was a priority for the Banijans, to have some breathing room before they made the trip across the river to Banija's only land neighbor, Geisenfred, in what many expected to be a tricky math. But then, of course, Banija played with the confidence that qualifying for the Finals can give you, with a stunning 5-1 away victory in front of an only nominally away crowd, with a lot of Banijans making the short trip to Geisenfred.

Of course, that meant the Banijans were in the Finals. They were drawn into playing in Valanora, and will play Damukuni, then an exciting matchup against their neighbors, and the defending champions of Atlantian Oceania, Farfadillis, before playing Pasarga in the final matchday of group play for the second straight World Cup. This will mean, that for the third straight World Cup, they will be playing within the Glorious Southwest, which means at least a very nominal home field advantage, if any. More on that, however, later. There wasn't any changes to the 23, or even to the starting XI- there was a rumor that Kizza Okafor would be asked to start for Amadi Uche, but ultimately, Marcus Waters is sticking with the same starting XI that put Banija into its second ever successful qualification campaign, and their third straight appearance in the World Cup Finals.

Of course, the RBSA scheduled a pair of warmup matches for the Banijans. The opponents were the Sherpa Empire and Freeport- neither qualified for the World Cup, but still, enough to give the Kadongo Kamu fits while still building confidence as they head towards the finals. Playing 82nd ranked Sherpa Empire, the game went as expected, with a fairly straightforward 3-1 victory for the Banijans. The game was played at Eastern Stadium in Istria, home of Rukunbi FC. A stadium, of course, that the national team rarely visits, but as part of the RBSA's traditional campaign to unite the country behind the team before the World Cup, a sensible choice. The Banijans, on the night, seemed to be the better side. The ball movement was good, and the finishing was good as well, with Yitebarke scoring twice while Ilman Jawara scored his first ever goal for the national team in the closing moments. A good, solid, confidence building 3-1 victory over a burgeoning Cup of Harmony side, and they looked for one more when, in their final warmup match, they hosted Freeport.

They brought Freeport to Bunyoro, as the stadium officially changed its name to Albert III Stadium, to commerate the recently deceased monarch. It follows a tradition of naming stadiums after monarchs in Banija, like Mugisha II Memorial Stadium in Herzegovina City, Banija, where Northern Moravica University plays gridiron. It was the celebration ceremony, and the Sarauniya, the widow of the deceased, was there to help inaugurate it. And Freeport, it seemed, would be easy. The two teams played in Banija before World Cup 81, and the Banijans won by a stunning 8-0 score. There was many reasons for the Banijans to be confident. That massive win the last time they met, the fact that Freeport were currently riding a 9 match winless streak, and the fact that they had just gotten a new manager- Twilight Striker, an Equestrian. Of course, Twilight Striker has a pedigree, managing both the Equestrian States and Filindostan in years past. But you'd think, new manager, needs time to get it all straightened out, right?

What happened was... A shocking result. Now, of course, the Banijans are more than capable of producing shocking displays against opponents that are far inferior on paper. Who can forget our loss to an unranked side that knocked us out of World Cup 79 Qualifying? Who can forget our World Cup 80 losses to unranked sides that led to Randolf Cherry's firing? And, who is going to forget our home loss to Grod freaking Island, this past campaign? Nobody. But so close to the Finals, with this much hope and excitement in the team, and on an occasion such as this one, you'd think the team would come out firing on all cylinders. Get a statement win before flying over to Valanora, and competing in the World Cup Finals.

But the display on this day in Dodomo was... Horrifying, to say the least. The Kadongo Kamu got thoroughly outplayed, by every definition of the word, by Freeport. Were the Equestrians just played in Freeport's uniforms? Of course not. But under a new managerial regime, Twilight Striker seems to have lifted a new spirit, and a new energy, into what was a struggling Freeport side as they look forward towards the AOCAFs. Thorn Bristle and Storm Chill were absolutely dominant in the middle of the pitch, outrunning, outmuscling, and frankly just flat outplaying Amadi Uche and Ablie Kah. This was true even when Okafor came on the pitch at halftime- they were getting beat, badly, in the midfield. Something that is certainly the weakness of this team- could this come back to bite them?

The Banijans have a ferocious front three, most certainly. Assefa Yitebarke seems to keep getting better and better, and has ascended to the #9 jersey with grace and care. Gitonga Kahara and Chibuzo Afolayan are living up to the hype abroad, with Afolayan banging away goals for AFC Corvistone in Nephara, while Gitonga Kahara stars for OAS Royal FC in Cosumar. There is loads of talent up top- when can someone like Alanso Tamba ever get a shot for the national team? That's a question, however, for another day. But if you can't get them the ball, it's all for naught- and that's exactly what happened on this day. The transitions from defense into attack were atrocious, with the passing errant, weak, and without purpose.

It's probably the worst performance of the cycle for the Banijans- even worse than their shock loss to Grod Island. Which doesn't bode well for their last match before their own World Cup opener, against Damukuni. The Freeport goals, of course, were extremely solid. Sonar Amethyst, the Freeport right winger, had a stunning volley from about 20 yards in the 15th minute, to give Freeport an early 1-0 lead that they absolutely deserved. And even after that, and those celebrations, this Banijan side never seemed to wake up. A goal by the Istria City FC striker, Torvald Royle, gave Freeport a 2-0 lead in the 40th minute. And the embarassment was complete when Ensa Camara, of all players, was beaten on the dribble by Puzzle Piece, who played a perfect ball across, and Royle turned a free header easily into the back of the net to make it 3-0 after a hour. Only an extremely late effort by Alanso Tamba, who had come on at halftime, in the 87th minute salvaged the scoreline somewhat, and made it 3-1.

For the first time that we can remember, at least, the national team faced boos from their own fans, on a home field. An ugly performance, and Marcus Waters didn't mince his words. "I'm absolutely disgusted by what I saw today." The Kadongo Kamu manager said. "While, of course, I must give credit to Twilight Striker for getting the Freeport side ready for tonight- they came out with energy and purpose, something that we lacked. This was one of the worst performances that I've ever seen. The passing- awful. The defending- terrible. No team play. No team purpose. 11 players running around, playing for themselves, by themselves. If we don't fix whatever the heck happened on this field today, then we'll be going home pretty quickly in World Cup 82."

Of course, the Finals are approaching quick, and we're going to take a look at Banija's first opponent- Damukuni. Damukuni is ranked 40th in the KPB, and had a much more difficult path to the Finals than the Kadongo Kamu did. In Group 5 of World Cup Qualifying, a pair of 0-0 draws on the final two matchdays were enough to edge out Ko-oren on goal difference, and also Ethane by a single point, for the group's final World Cup spot. Of course, Group 5 was one of the closest World Cup Qualification groups, with just three points separating first place Bongo Johnson, and fourth place Ethane. For comparison, the gap between second place Banija and third place HUElavia was 7 points, and the gap between second place Banija and first place Brenecia was another 7 points. Shows you how tight that group was, and how not tight Group 1 was.

Damukuni, having been battle tested, has an experienced squad that they are bringing to the tournament. They have two 37 year olds listed in their starting XI- Jannie-Aurelia Jones, playing up top, and Mavi Noala, in the central midfield. It is surely the last appearance both will have on a stage as grand as this one, so we imagine that everyone will be giving it their all. Considering their ranking though, in what is surely to be an extremely tough group, Damukuni surely have to be seen as the underdogs in this one. It's a Pot 3 v. Pot 4 matchup though, and that is what makes this one dangerous.

With the quality of opponents coming up, in Farfadillis and Pasarga, both sides know that the winner of this game will have a chance at pulling off the surprise and making the knockouts, while the loser is basically dead in the water. And both sides know that this is their best chance of getting three points at this tournament. With all that in mind, expect a free-flowing, attacking game- neither side will want to settle for a draw here, as the 3 points are certainly very valuable. That's where the advantage for the Banijans come in. Assuming they don't get dominated in the midfield again, their front 3 can launch terror in the heart of every opponent. The Damukuni back line will certainly have their hands full- can they keep up with Afolayan and Kahara and Yitebarke?

Banija knows, that if they want to prove their World Cup 81 knockout stage appearance wasn't an abberation, that this match is almost a must win. The path is complicated from here, of course, but starting it with a win makes it that much easier- and starting the tournament with a loss, makes it all but impossible. Even a draw would make the path forward extremely tough. Expect Marcus Waters to be aggressive. While we'd normally be confident of success in a matchup like this, that Freeport game has given us a lot of room for pause- if the midfield doesn't figure it out and step up, then the Banijans could be in for a long day.

Even with that game, however, on paper, the Banijans are ever slight favorites in what of the World Cup's toughest groups. They know how important a strong start is- and we think that Marcus Waters is good enough to fix whatever went wrong. While the Banijans are known for their ability to put up a random stinker in qualifying, they've always peaked in major tournaments under Waters, with solid World Cup performances in World Cup 80, and the pair of AOCAFs with him at the helm. Our prediction for the game will be 2-1, in favor of the Banijans. It will be a tight one, but ultimately, the Banijans have too much firepower to be denied 3 points by Damukuni. Expect, of course, players like Afolayan and Kahara to step up on the game's biggest stage if the Banijans do indeed achieve their goal of earning 3 points in their opening match of the World Cup.

[Farfadillis]

The Kamikaze
A site dedicated to Farf football

National Team Section

A tactical analysis before the World Cup
submitted just now

After a very solid, though expected, performance in the qualifiers, the jury is actually still out on Ichi Tuzzio (as manager, not player, of course). The team steamrolled all non-Mrii opposition, only dropping two points against them, scoring the most goals in the Multiverse in the process. Tuzzio's free-flowing, fast and lethal attacks have gained him many fans, but the fact that there have been less of them have gained him a few skeptics. I do not find myself in the latter group; I think the beautiful game is ever-changing in its paradigms, and the Farf paradigm is just as valid as any other one. We don't have to attack all the time. I am also a big fan of how coordinated the team has looked on the attack, at least at times.

I am, however, a part of the group that doubts Tuzzio for a different reason: he has only played two matches against strong opposition. He was embarrassing in the first one, but got it together for the rematch. Precisely because I think these two matches were the only ones we can even hope to judge him on. I'll be forgiving and ignore the first one - largely out of shame, really. The second one is the most recent one, anyway.

Exhibit 1:

Yes, I know those are not the actual numbers for the Mriin NT

A pretty run-of-the-mill goal, really, but perfectly executed. rue Cazade showed a lot of technique when setting up Eleonóra for the cross. Very good vision and a lot of craftiness are what have made some of us believe he could be a good enough replacement for Wínrôuge. He'll never be Wínrôuge, but he has glimpses of him every now and then, like this one. I'd also like to point out that Eleonóra was ruthless here. In a split second, he controlled the ball, hugged the touchline, found space to cross and placed the ball exactly where it had to go. Holsteiner got behind his marker's back and scored a header from point-blank range.

What I liked the most about this play was that it happened in the blink of an eye. One moment rue Cazade is calmly approaching the final third, the next you have Holsteiner alone in the small box. Tuzzio has clearly drilled this kind of play into these three. It's a simple one, really. I'm sure we've all seen it countless times. But with plays like these, it's all in the execution.

Exhibit 2:

Yes, I know I've now messed up our own numbers too.

Cross field pass from winger to winger, to try to stretch the opposition and find an opening. Eleonóra tries to get past his man, fails, then insists on crossing, predictably ending in a Mrii clearance. However, Zsase picks up the ball close to the box and draws two defenders. Mriin's defense overcrowds their left flank, but Zsase passes to Eleonóra, who has somehow still found space for a cross into the center of the box. It's cleared once again, but t'Öéséné wins the resulting header (somehow) and the ball falls on rue Cazade's feet, who only needs one touch to set Wçêíl up perfectly. Lüí, in turn, also only needs one touch to bury the chance.

This play was a display of far more positive things than just some sloppy crossing display from Eleonóra (he can't be at the top of his game every time). This play showed just how good the team has become at stretching defenses, then punishing them for that. Eleonóra's such a dangerous player that his presence alone warranted overcrowding his flank. Then, when the attention was drawn away from Êns, rue Cazade and Wçêíl, Eleonóra quickly looked to put in their vicinity. Finally, as soon as the opportunity showed up, the team pounced on it. After t'Öéséné's header, the Mriis don't even know what hit them. Had they had more defenders to mark rue Cazade and Wçêíl, we wouldn't have scored.

Exhibit 3:

This was a play I wanted to highlight for two reasons, despite it not ending up in a goal. First, it's a planned play. As in, Tuzzio has gotten the team to actually practice throw ins to the point of having a strategy for them. Teijeiro passes it to Êns, who holds up and gives it to Wçêíl. Hopefully, those two will have drawn some players away from the box, so Wçêíl can more freely cross to either Holsteiner in the small box or Eleonóra on the far post. If all else fails, rue Cazade will be close to the penalty spot, ready to receive a short pass. In this particular play, though, the plan fails. But a plan was attempted, and I wanted to highlight that.

The second reason why I want to highlight this play is to show how dangerous rue Cazade has been under Tuzzio. He picks up the ball with his back to the goal, leaves the box, manages to turn around, find space to shoot and then comes very close to pulling off a very difficult goal. It's just hard to be safe from him when he picks up the ball close to the box, regardless of position.

Exhibit 4:

Eleonóra should've buried that one, we all know that. But I still found the play to be very encouraging. Ignoring that Mriin's defense was very slow to react to Teijeiro's aerial pass to Zsase, and the fact that they had for some mysterious reason overcrowded the flank, we were very quick to spot and exploit a mistake. Teijeiro and Êns both notice the acres of space left for Zsase, so they try to get the ball to Teijeiro as quickly as possible, since he's in the best position to find Zsase with a pass. Teijeiro even makes a brief pause to draw out the Mrii midfielder closest to Zsolgar. After the pass, Zsase does what anyone would: he drives forward. This inevitably ends up drawing out a Mrii defender who leaves Eleonóra both unmarked and onside. Eleonóra procedes to waste the chance.

What I liked the most about this play is that the team displayed both urgency and patience in correct amounts. Urgency in getting the ball to Zsase and in approaching the box, but also patience in drawing out markers when it was needed. There was also urgency in Eleonóra's shot. It was a good call, it's just the execution that was poor.

Exhibit 5:

At this point, Mriin were being a lot more brash in their attempts to get back in the game. They were two goals down, after all. In this goal, Wçêíl and Holsteiner showed they can and will punish that when presented the chance. It's worth noting that the five men approaching Lüí were partially justified: he was having a very, very good game. Easily the man of the match. They went overboard, though, leaving way too much space for a striker as lethal as Oskar. A very precise long pass from Wçêíl and one powerful hit from Holsteiner's right foot later, the game was effectively over for Mriin (or so we thought).

In the World Cup proper, when coming up against teams like Pasarga, we will want to punish like we did here. We have a very good chance of going one or two goals up, but with us that's never a safe lead. Without this goal, we would've probably tied or even lost the game. At the moment it was "just" the third goal.

I could also analyze our defensive performance. Tuzzio has focused on improving a lot on improving it with... well, pretty mixed results. But I won't. I don't have many positive things to say and I find defending pretty boring.

Until next Sunday, when I hopefully will be writing about a win over Pasarga. Or at least a draw.

[Brenecia]

Brenecia 0 - 0 Geisenfried
(4-1-4-1 / 4-4-2) 12 - Drummond; 18 - Weaver, 5 - Heneghan, 22 - Varney, 3 - Quill; 4 - Staunton (10 - Ciogach 57'); 15 - Garrard, 14 - Ruskin, 13 - Wheeler, 11 - Keynes (16 - Ashbrown 65'); 17 - Bremner (9 - Riordan 79')

Huelavia 1 - 4 Brenecia
(4-1-4-1) 1 - Calhoun; 2 - Broxham, 5 - Heneghan, 6 - Szubanski (c), 3 - Quill (19 - Prentice 81'); 23 - Alweather; 7 - Crowther, 21 - Case (14 - Ruskin 61'), 13 - Wheeler, 11 - Keynes (16 - Ashbrown 74'); 9 - Riordan
Goals: Riordan 26', Crowther 36', Keynes 41', Broxham 58'

Many years past...
Margaret Fenton cut a nervous figure. She kept glancing down at the note in her hand, one that seemed far too small for its import.
With her in the back of what was a 'technical' if you wanted to be, well, technical - a battle-wagon, if you didn't, and a commercial ute with a machine gun on the back if you preferred to be blunt, were three terrorists/partisans/brave soldiers of the new Commonwealth. Their uniform consisted of... well, they were all wearing blue, and they all had rifles and helmets.
"Me, I shot one of the mainlanders-"
Another soldier swatted the first in the arm. "Not mainlanders," she chided. "It's just New Sideburn now. Whole new different country."
"Yeah, I'll believe that when it's on paper," said the third and glummest. "All we know, the gunboats could be closing in any second..."
"They won't. Mainlanders are gonna fold. You reckon- what, you reckon they're gonna fight back for all this?" The second and most sensible rifleman threw her arm around her surroundings, the flat, waterlogged grasslands of Rathia in which they found themselves, on a barely-functional road not far removed from dirt.
"We got mines," said the first and brashest, wind somewhat out of his sails.
"Yeah. Mines and rain and dust. If there were gonna be gunboats and tanks, there'd be gunboats in Falkner and tanks in Rozelle - and now they're just shifting as far west as they can."
"Then why the fuck are you here?" said the third.
"I like shooting mainlanders."
"This is the place," said Fenton, sharply, pointing at a nearby ranch. The driver nodded.
It was a relatively nice place, under the oppressive overcast gloom. A sturdy matriarch glared at the white technical as it wheeled on in, before noticing the navy uniforms on the back and brightening visibly. She called out to what appeared to be a daughter, loitering nearby, and she dashed into the house.
The technical pulled up, the riflemen piled out, Fenton slipping out with them.
The sarcastic female soldier lit up a cigarette. "I'll stand watch, Mags," she said, drily. She could practically see the curvature of the earth from where she was.
"Cheers, Liston." Fenton only had three syllables to work with, so she really let the sarcasm drip from each one. Then she licked her lips, glanced at the other two, stepped forward and rang the doorbell, a chintzy little sound echoing out from inside.
There were some footsteps, before the stocky, unimpressive figure of a middle-aged farmer opened the door. Fenton bit her lip, presented with - well, with -
"State your name," she said abruptly, and rather more stiffly than she meant.
The farmer blinked, taken aback. Why the hell was a stringy woman in a shabby, ill-fitting suit at her doorstep? With an armed escort, no less? For all these questions, he responded; "Uhm."
Fenton's eyes practically watered with the strain of responsibility. "Your name! Please!"
"It's Bruce. Bruce Passant."
Fenton drew in a sharp breath. With shaking fingers, she withdrew an envelope from a jacket pocked, presented it, and threw herself into a kneel. After a second to get their bearings, the riflemen followed suit.
"We live to serve, your Majesty!"

The present day...
When it comes to the great and lauded monarchies of the world, people tend to overlook Brenecia. For devoted royalists, the inconvenient centuries-long gap doesn't help, nor the fact that they had a King Bruce, a dumpy farmer from Rathia, the guy they found who was the most direct descendant from Ruiarc III. Ruiarc had been unfortunate enough to be on the throne at the time when the Nepharim swept in from the west, decided to bring their regicidal ways with them. Ruiarc was hanged and his known relatives exiled, making it a real bitch to find the eventual descendant, Bruce.
The Brenecians themselves weren't especially attached to their monarchs. It had been revived largely out of spite for their former colonisers in the wake of the uprising, but people seemed happy enough just to plonk them in a palace and name a couple of things 'King' or 'Royal'.
Bruce was long dead. So too his son, Clint I. His daughter had decided enough of the hick names was enough, and returned to the old school - Queen Mairin IV was a traditionalist, even if she had to make those traditions up herself.
As a result, Prime Minister Clarisse Ward found herself having to answer summons to her monarch, keeping her 'in the loop' every week. Queen Mairin liked to stay informed. A fine trait in a head of state, in theory. The issue being, to Ward's mind, that Queens were there to be seen and not heard. Ward would do what she had to do, and resented having to answer to anyone.
She made her way up the stairs. Making her way down was the voluptuous figure of Jade Horvath, the Nepharim ambassador making the most of the low cut of the dark green diplomatic uniform, jangling with jewelry as she walked.
"Prime Minister," said Horvath, cordially.
Ward grunted. "All dolled up, huh. What've we come to when even Nepharim are bowing to queens?"
"Queens have nothing to do with it. Mary Passant likes to stand on ceremony, and as Brenecia's head of state..." Horvath laughed, without humour.
Ward gritted her teeth. "What the hell did she want with you, anyway?"
"I couldn't possibly comment, dear. If Passant wants to share state business with you, I'm sure she will."
"Horvath?"
"Yes, dear?"
"If your upstart country ever starts to lean on these shores again, you'll be the first against the wall."
It was a risky thing to say, boiled over by emotion. Under different circumstances, it could have been an international incident. But it was all worth it to see the colour drain from Horvath's face, as she said her stiff farewell and kept moving on.

It turned out that Mairin had rather a lot on her mind. As Ward tried to brief her on relevant matters, the Queen - an overflowing fit inside a garish silver dress - had her eyes on certain concerns.
"You know, Ward, you'd be quite proud of the way I managed to turn the ear of that ambassador."
"- training has- eh?" Ward blinked.
"I told her about my plans."
"What plans?" The Queen was the kind of person who wanted details teased from her, rather than someone who would actually just say what she wanted.
She smiled, and sat down in a leafy armchair as a mousy maid poured out tea for them both. Ward had said in the past she only took coffee. Ward had been ignored. In the end, Ward was willing to surrender to tea. Tea, after all, was part of what the queen decided was tradition. Just like how every fucker in the palace was clapped up in archaic navy and bronze uniforms.
"I was actually hoping for your help with this, Ward. You're a military type, yes?"
"Uhm," said Ward.
"I need a Royal Guard." The capital letters clamped ominously into place. "I have cultivated a... very regal palace, I think, with not terribly much help or budget. But, well, that woman, Horvath... she just didn't seem impressed."
"Didn't she," said Ward, icily.
"No. And if I can't impress a Nepharim, I mean, they don't even have a monarch. If I can't impress someone with no standards to look up to, I'd embarrass us in front of my peers across the rest of the world."
"Well, at the moment, the budget's somewhat stretched-"
"Yes, I know, I know! Buying up those wretched forts, Horvath told me. You didn't. I want pomp, I want circumstance!" the queen bawled. "I want people to respect me!"
The maid grimaced. Ward glanced at her, and grimaced too. It wasn't easy when their alleged ruler was throwing a tantrum.
"I wouldn't listen to Horvath in the future, your Majesty," Ward said, trying to soothe her. "What do the Nepharim know about queens?"
"I want my Guard," she repeated. "And I want more money to spruce the place up more."
"Yes, your Majesty."
"It will be found."
"Yes, yes. I'll..." She sighed. She couldn't afford to alienate the queen, not when she was positioning herself - otherwise entirely sincerely! - as the defender of Brenecian honour and tradition. To undercut the sovereign would be to undercut their hard-won sovereignty. And maybe, if the spoiled brat was buttered up enough, she might be able to turn her ear around. Not that slut of a diplomat with nothing to lose...
"We'll train some of the national guard in ceremonial duties, and have uniforms rolled out," said Ward. National guard sounded a lot better than reservists, and reservists sounded a lot better than 'the sections of the old military too broken or corrupt to reform'.
"Thank you, Ward."
"It is, as ever, my pleasure."

The maid clocked off for the day, a short and early shift. She changed from her locker, scribbled a few notes into a little leather-bound journal, took a few furtive glances around and set off. Not for home, but for a small cafe a few blocks down from the little fairytale palace.
There, a sharp-featured young woman with a dainty bob haircut and long looped earrings smiled indulgently, stubbed her cigarette on the wall, strode over and kissed her on both cheeks. Bluntly, the mousy young maid was dating out of her league here, but she was too busy blushing to notice.
"You're always so punctual, Marcine. It's one of your finest virtues," crooned the other woman in a well-travelled voice that wasn't quite from anywhere. Not quite the razor edge of Nephara, nor the delicacy of Electrum, nor the sobriety of Eura... "Come on. Shall we sit?"
They sat. The flashy young woman smiled, ordered a couple of flat whites, and turned back to her underwhelming date.
"I... uh," said Marcine. "You know, they never gave me your name..."
"Not so loud, sweetheart," chided the woman. "It's Cass. And now, while nobody's looking, I don't suppose..."
Marcine nodded quickly, pulled the slim ring-bound diary out of its bulky leather binding and slid it over the table. Cass slid one back - this one with a couple of notes pressed in between the pages. Marcine glanced around again-
"It's okay," murmured Cass, putting a soothing hand on Marcine's. "You've not been followed."
"I'm... it's not that. I just... feel guilty, about this, I guess," she said miserably.
Cass tutted. "Now, now. You aren't doing anything wrong, love. You aren't hurting anyone. Just think of it as gossip."
The maid looked slackly over. She wasn't stupid. Well, not that stupid. She knew she was probably committing some kind of treason, here. But she needed a job, the money and the security that came with it - her new contacts had managed to get her that. She needed an abusive ex to... disappear, and she hadn't heard a thing from her since she mentioned it. But this felt like... every time, they asked more of her. Just a little bit at a time. Just to get over the parapets. And now here she was, very nearly in too deep, and with no escape.
"Right, right," she said, weakly. "Just gossip."
Cass smiled, like a cat spotting a skink in the tall grass. "Good."

[Turori]

Citizens, Cocoabo entertain fans with Second Half Duel

Eels Park, Eelandii, Turori :: When Turori's National Citizen squad lost 2-1 in Kita-Hinode on Matchday 9 of World Cup 82 Qualifying to drop down into the third spot in the group 10 table, outside the World Cup 82 qualifying positions, Football Association of Turori president Mumau Atla-Siioai finally decided something had to change. It may have been a political decision as much as anything. Sure, the Citizen Squad had gotten Turori to its first ever World Cup Semi-Final. They then proceeded to get their butts handed to them on a platter on two consecutive high-profile matches including one against their biggest geographical rival and closest neighbor, Vilita. If he stuck with the Citizen Squad for the remainder of qualifying and they failed to make the World Cup, he could blame the team for poor performances but that would seem counter to the image they had created as the nations first ever World Cup Semi-Finalists. He didn't want to tarnish the heroes image the team had created. Sure they had dropped some points in the first half of World Cup Qualifying but they were right in the thick of the battle and poised in prime position to retake top spot in the group over the next three matches.

The Cocoabo were ready though. He'd gone to the Cocoabo Forest, he'd watched them play in their weekly demonstration match at the Cocoabo Park Arena in front of thousands of park visitors. They hadn't lost it, if anything they'd gotten better. So he made the call. The Cocoabo were in - but only for the matches that Turori's National Citizen Squad failed to win the first time around. The games against all the best teams in the group. And one Flaw. Olastor away, a game which the Citizen Squad had lost 1-0 at home. 95X at home, a match which the citizen squad were held to a goalless draw on the road during the first half of qualifying. A match against Flaw which would be moved to the Cocoabo Park Arena after the Citizen Squad were baffled by a 1-1 draw in Flaw during the first half of qualifications then, finally, the campaign ending clash with Kita-Hinode. Those were the four matches the Cocoabo Squad would get.

In order for the Cocoabo Squad to earn the right to represent the Turori National Team in the World Cup Finals they would have to collect more points in those four matches than Turori's National Citizen squad collected in their five games against Bohr, Kelssek, Cosneolta, Alanikka and Migli - none of whom were ranked in the Top 60 of the World Rankings. If the Cocoabo could pull it off, not only would it be an incredibly unlikely scenario but they would have certainly earned the right to be Turori's Team.

After 11 of 18 Matchdays:

While it was a close affair, Turori's National Citizen Squad got things kicked off properly with a 1-0 victory over Bohr thanks to a goal from Inamari Altariiz. From there, the Cocoabo Squad would have the next two matches which would be critical for the Turori National Teams qualification hopes as they were against the Top teams in the group, 95X and Olastor. The Cocoabo not only showed up, they dominated. The Cocoabo sent Olastor into a spiral taking the once Top team in Group 10 and knocking them out of the qualification places, ultimately for good. But if the 2-0 victory over Olastor wasn't enough to demonstrate that the Cocoabo were for real then the 3-0 thrashing of regional rivals 95X certainly proved the point as in just two matches the Cocoabo Squad had lifted lowly Turori from outside the qualification places to the top spot in Group 10 and had quickly earned back the Nations trust and support in the process.

But a deal is a deal and they had also not forgotten the contributions they had received from their Citizen Squad. Having seen what they were up against, it was the Citizen's turn to earn back favor on Matchday 13 as they looked to level up the Cocoabo at six-points a piece after four games of the second half of World Cup 82 Qualification. Things got off to a good start for the Citizens as Jungle Strike FC attacker Meldi'ita Mungwaii was fed through expertly by Timi'sala Koarena to put the Citizen Squad on the board and give them a 1-0 lead at the half. With just 18 goals scored and 6 against during the entire campaign thus far, 1-0 seemed to be a comfortable Karelan scoreline for the Turori National Team who must have expected they would be able to hold on to their lead along with their spot atop the Group 10 table with three points against Kelssek. Unfortunately, it was not to be as the Citizen Squad imploded in the second half conceding three goals for the first time in the campaign representing fifty percent of all the goals they had conceded through twelve prior matches.

The away side had certainly come out the more lively at Eels Park in Eelandii and had the scores level just two minutes into the second half on a free kick after Yitizo Mpala'a was adjudged to have fouled Brayden Custworth. Seemingly unwilling to finish what they started, however, Custworth stepped aside for Gabriel Lapierre to take the free kick and Lapierre's somewhat mediocre attempt clipped Turorian defender Amakli Inuro'o and redirected opposite where Cedniavella based netminder Wiyauw An'maude had already calculated the balls trajectory, bouncing helplessly into the back of the net. Custworth was involved again just two minutes later, this time with a meaningful contribution laying a smart pass across the penalty area for Matt Lister to half-volley beyond an out matched An'maude to give Kelssek the lead for the first time in the match. At that point the visitors were on their heels trying to protect their lead as Turori pushed forward but the Eels got caught playing out of their comfort zone in a more attacking formation which allowed Kelssek to put the game away in the 73rd minute on the counter attack as Ó Tuathail stripped the ball from Kentu Umaka'a in the midfield then stepped past Moumouni Verre'elali to find space curling an effort past Wiyauw An'maude to put the match out of reach as Turori's National Citizen Squad suffered their third defeat of the campaign and gave up their one-game advantage in hand over the Cocoabo Squad.

Turori [1] - [3] Kelssek

:: Turori Goalscorers :: :: 45' Meldi'ita Mungwaii

:: Turori Statistics :: :: Possession: 63% :: Shots on Target: 6 :: Corner Kicks: 10

:: Kelssek Statistics :: :: Possession: 37% :: Shots on Target: 5 :: Corner Kicks: 9

---

Turori Eels Lineup v. Kelssek ::
[GK] Wiyauw An'maude, [D.] Tarek Edgeli, [D.] Yitizo Mpala'a, [D.] Moumouni Verre'elali, [D.] Amakli Inuro'o, [ML] Kentu Umaka'a, [MC] Indelli Nura'amura, [MC] Saito Koshiki, [MR] Timi'sala Koarena, [FC] Meldi'ita Mungwaii, [FC] Inamari Altariiz
BENCH::
[FC] Wiztsana Iretziia, [FC] Nua'oma Aikiki, [M] Daliora Toru'u, [M] Lati'ala Giaoka, [U ] Mirana Gotuai, [D] Oani Moralziia, [GK] G.Q Disterfred II

---

After 13 of 18 Matchdays:

Turori's National Citizen Squad would return to their form with a more traditional performance on the road at Cosneolta on Matchday 14. The Eels maintained their defensive posture and recorded the 8th shutout in fourteen matches for the Turori National Team during World Cup 82 Qualification to stay level with group leaders 95X in fewest goals conceded in Group 10 though still trailing the top spot by two points after 95X's own 1-0 victory over Flaw.

Flaw would be the Cocoabo Squad's next opponent as they got back into the swing of things on Matchday 15 against yet another opponent that the Citizen Squad failed to beat during the first half of Qualifications. This time the Cocoabo would have the advantage of the home crowd and familiar spaces and they would ultimately come away with all three points although looked far less convincing against the lowly Flaw then they had against prospective world cup finalists 95X and Olastor. Conceding their first goal of the campaign, the Cocoabo needed to net a pair of their own to keep the lead and maintain their advantage in the mini-table over the Citizen Squad by securing their third win in as many games since returning to competition at the campaigns midway point.

Turori [1] - [0] Cosneolta

:: Turori Goalscorers :: :: 37' Kentu Umaka'a

:: Turori Statistics :: :: Possession: 55% :: Shots on Target: 6 :: Corner Kicks: 11

:: Consneolta Statistics :: :: Possession: 45% :: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 3

---

Turori Eels Lineup v. Consneolta ::
[GK] Wiyauw An'maude, [D.] Tarek Edgeli, [D.] Biliki Rona'atu'i, [D.] Dmitri Levada, [D.] Mikki Mayelli, [ML] Mbdiai Akarenaa, [MC] Daliora Toru'u, [MC] Kentu Umaka'a, [MR] Indelli Nura'amura, [FC] Inamari Altariiz, [FC] Nua'oma Aikiki
BENCH::
[FC] Meldi'ita Mungwaii, [FC] Mirana Gotuai, [M] Lati'ala Giaoka, [M] Saito Koshiki, [U ] Wiztsana Iretziia, [D] Lulu Pumaziiri, [GK] G.Q Disterfred II

---

It would set up a three-match fight to the finish with all the pressure on the Citizen Squad to perform as they trailed by nine points to six after three matches a piece had been played in the second half of World Cup 82 Qualifying. However, the Citizen Squad also had control of their own destiny knowing that with two matches left compared with the Cocoabo having just one match remaining, the Citizens could ensure no worse than a tie against the Cocoabo if they could win both of their remaining matches.

The Citizens first traveled to Alanikka to take on the 298th ranked nation in the multiverse and they would come out of the match with their biggest away result since a 5-1 road victory over Kalumba in the first leg of the World Cup 80 Qualification Playoffs.

It was a breakout match for young Cednia Beach AFC defender Biliki Rona'atu'i who netted career international goals #1 and #2 in the second half of a 4-0 victory after goals from the veteran Turorian Superstars Timi'sala Koarena of Raynor City United and Meldi'ita Mungwaii of Jungle Strike FC. The victory pulled the Citizen Squad level with the Cocoabo having just one match to play each before the end of World Cup 82 Qualifications but perhaps more importantly for the Turori National Team, pushed the Eels back to the Top of the Group 10 table and moved them four points clear of third place nation Kita-Hinode, who the Cocoabo would face on the final matchday, in the race for World Cup Qualification.

Turori [4] - [0] Alanikka

:: Turori Goalscorers :: :: 7' Timi'sala Koarena :: 19' Meldi'ita Mungwaii :: 50' Biliki Rona'atu'i :: 53' Biliki Rona'atu'i

:: Turori Statistics :: :: Possession: 71% :: Shots on Target: 6 :: Corner Kicks: 12

:: Alanikka Statistics :: :: Possession: 29% :: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 5

---

Turori Eels Lineup v. Alanikka ::
[GK] Wiyauw An'maude, [D.] Yitizo Mpala'a, [D.] Lulu Pumaziiri, [D.] Dmitri Levada, [D.] Biliki Rona'atu'i, [ML] Timi'sala Koarena, [MC] Kentu Umaka'a, [MC] Saito Koshiki, [MR] Lati'ala Giaoka, [FC] Meldi'ita Mungwaii, [FC] Wiztsana Iretziia
BENCH::
[FC] Mirana Gotuai, [FC] Inamari Altariiz, [M] Daliora Toru'u, [M] Indelli Nura'amura, [U ] Kiidallen Aeroluzzi, [D] Mikki Mayelli, [GK] G.Q Disterfred II

---

After 16 of 18 Matchdays:

With the mini-table tied at nine points a piece each team would have just one match to play. For the Citizen Squad, it would be against Migli, the lowest ranked side in Group 10, at home. For the Cocoabo Squad they would have to square off against Kita-Hinode, the highest ranked team in the group outside the Turori National Team themselves and the nation currently sitting third in the Group Standings representing the difference between a place in the World Cup Finals or the Cup of Harmony for the two Atlantian Oceania sides atop Group 10.

Meldi'ita Mungwaii got things off to a fast start for the Citizen Squad in front of a packed house at Eels Park in Eelandii putting the Turori National Team in front after just 9 minutes. But Migli were able to get one past Inland Peaks FC's young Turorian netminder Timaala Hualtia in the 23rd minute to level the scores and thats the way things would stay until the half time break.

It was a tense affair in the second half with Kita-Hinode and 95X in the midst of a real unpredictable barn-burner of a match, the Turorian faithful carefully watched the scoreboard. If 95X could win the match then the Turori National Team would be through to the World Cup Finals. If not, Turori needed a win to ensure they would progress regardless of other results ensuring they ended the day four or more points ahead of the third placed side.

As the back and forth continued in the land of the busses, the Citizen Squad finally took matters into their own hands and got the production from an unlikely source as it was Tropicorp FC's young prospect Moumouni Verre'elali who came on as a substitute in the 63rd minute and provided the winner for the Eels. Just after the restart Meldi'ita Mungwaii scored their second of the game to put the result beyond all doubt and secure the Turori National Team would be headed to Apox or Valanora for the World Cup 82 Finals.

Turori [3] - [1] Migli

:: Turori Goalscorers :: :: 9' Meldi'ita Mungwaii :: 77' Moumouni Verre'elali :: 78' Meldi'ita Mungwaii

:: Turori Statistics :: :: Possession: 55% :: Shots on Target: 10 :: Corner Kicks: 23

:: Migli Statistics :: :: Possession: 45% :: Shots on Target: 5 :: Corner Kicks: 6

---

Turori Eels Lineup v. Migli ::
[GK] Timaala Hualtia, [D.] Oani Moralziia, [D.] Amakli Inuro'o, [D.] Geafi Laina-Sola, [D.] Tarek Edgeli, [ML] Indelli Nura'amura, [MC] Saito Koshiki, [MC] Timi'sala Koarena, [MR] Mbdiai Akarenaa, [FC] Meldi'ita Mungwaii, [FC] Inamari Altariiz
BENCH::
[FC] Nua'oma Aikiki, [FC] Mirana Gotuai, [M] Kentu Umaka'a, [M] Daliora Toru'u, [U ] Moumouni Verre'elali, [D] Yitizo Mpala'a, [GK] Wiyauw An'maude

---

Ps Group 10                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Turori                          18   12   2   4    29   14  +15    38     Q
 2 95X                             18   10   6   2    24   17   +7    36     Q
 3 Kita-Hinode                     18   10   5   3    51   35  +16    35
 4 Olastor                         18    7   7   4    33   27   +6    28
 5 Kelssek                         18    7   6   5    43   40   +3    27
 6 Bohr                            18    6   3   9    29   29    0    21
 7 Cosneolta                       18    4   4  10    20   29   −9    16
 8 Flaw                            18    3   7   8    22   32  −10    16
 9 Migli                           18    2   9   7    23   31   −8    15
10 Alanikka                        18    2   5  11    21   41  −20    11

It wasn't job done yet, however, as due to their defeat at the hands of Kelssek on Matchday 13, Turori's National Citizen Squad were just three points clear of the Cocoabo for the right to represent the Turori National Team in those World Cup Finals. With Kita-Hinode having now been eliminated from contention it would be unclear if the Cocoabo would face quite a tough opponent on the final matchday if they might have had Kita-Hinode been needing a victory to advance to the World Cup Finals. There was also bragging rights to content for against 95X for top spot in Group 10, not looking to give the regional rivals any positive leg to stand on from a confidence perspective ahead of any prospective future clashes in the AOCAF Cup.

There had never been a tie before in a Citizen v. Cocoabo duel and no one really knew if there were tie-breaking procedures or what they were. The point would become moot after 90 minutes in Kita-Hinode however as the Cocoabo Squad who looked so sharp in their opening matches against Olastor and 95X had come out incredibly flat on the road against Kita-Hinode suffering an embarrassing 0-3 defeat that was reminiscent of the Cocoabo's stunning collapse during the World Cup 80 finals when they had seemed all but assured to be the first ever Turorian Squad to advance to the World Cup Semi-Finals after a confident victory over Top-10 side Nephara in the Round of 16 only to implode against the Holy Empire in the Quarter Finals losing 1-4. Now, with a chance to steal a place in the World Cup 82 Finals from the Citizen Squad just one cycle after it was the Citizens who finally broke the Eelskin Brown Ceiling that was the World Cup Semi-Finals, the Cocoabo had fallen flat when it mattered most once again suffering a crushing defeat and starting to earn a reputation as a side that could not close the deal. While there was no pride to come from the match for the Cocoabo, Turorian fans could still take comfort in the fact that their team were heading to the World Cup Finals and, incredibly, would be doing so as Group 10 winners thanks to 95X's weak performance against lowly Bohr on the final match after they had already secured their own advancement to the World Cup Finals by drawing Kita-Hinode on Matchday 17.

With the second half of World Cup Qualifying complete and the Citizen Squad having earned 12 points against the 9 secured by the Cocoabo, it seemed as if Turori's National Citizen Squad would be donning the Eelskin Brown, Cove Blue and Nigel's Electric Green uniforms in Apox or Valanora after all.

After 18 of 18 Matchdays:

[Cassadaigua]

World Cup 82 To Kick Off,
by Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

Good morning readers, or a happy time of day for whenever you clicked on this article (more likely) or picked up the newspaper (less likely). This will be a great day in sports as the 82nd World Cup of soccer kicks off in the nations of Apox and Valanora. The Fillies have landed in Valanora and are set to take on Eura in the opening game of their schedule. We’ll get more to the details of the tournament later in this article, but first I want to talk about team Cassadaigua itself.

Qualifying was an emotional roller coaster, even though some outsiders will point out that we seemed to wire the field in staying in first place pretty much from start to finish. It was intense, and thankfully this team got off to that quick 4-0-0 start. Everything seemed to go well during the early matches, and perhaps it was fortunate that they picked up some sizeable wins to lead to a strong goal differential. However, after that fast start, came the poor stretch where we won just four out of twelve games. That is certainly up there with one of our worst qualifying stretches in quite some time, but the silver lining in that is even though we weren’t winning those other eight games, we were still picking up draws. Starblaydia had their own slow start, by their standards, so they could not take advantage fully of our struggles in the standings, although they did take the time to kick our butts in Concord Heights when the promise of Sutter McCloud was on full display as the youngster impressively recovered from a sluggish game against us on his own home turf. Filindostan started slow, so slow in fact that they even sacked their initial manager during that period. After the change, they played very well and looked like they would make either us or Starblaydia pay for not taking command of this group earlier. All the while, Polkopia was always lingering in the mix and could not be ruled out.

The cold stretch led to manager Stephanie Sweeney making a change in goal, moving from long time starter Kristen Speller, to Kelsey Morgan. Morgan has remained the starter, and Speller is to be commended for handling the situation as well as she did. Kristen acknowledged that she had not been effective, and fully supported Kelsey. Even when Morgan did not look good in her first start, you never saw Kristen go back and say, “I told you so.” In fact, after the team lost 5-4 to Omerica in Morgan’s first start, in Concord Heights, and many Cassadagan fans chanting for Speller to return to the net, or give third string Robert Nunez a chance, Speller was the first to console Morgan after the match. “I felt that after the Omerica game, it was up to me to let her know not to let that result get to her. In her shoes, you want that first game where you are the starter to be a dream like start, but sometimes it will go the other day. I simply reiterated my confidence in her, and let her know that I was not going to use the result to try and convince coach (Stephanie Sweeney) to make me the starter again. Kelsey is a professional, so I didn’t need a big motivational speech, but it was important for her to know I still believed in her despite that tough game.” Morgan followed that up by getting clean sheet against Polkopia, though got no goal support in the 0-0 draw. “After the Polkopia match, Kelsey really knew what it was like to be a World Cup starter,” Speller joked, “either you get the goal support, or you don’t.” Morgan then had another clean sheet, a 1-0 win over Abristan; topped North Quadana 2-1, before the finale against Tiiwark, won by the Fillies, 4-3. That’s the final part of the rollercoaster ride, the part that saw us finish off with three wins. Every point was needed, and somehow, we won the group in the process.

Now that the World Cup is to begin, we can have questions as to what changes may be in store for a nation that scored 53 goals, and conceded 36 during qualifying. That’s essentially a margin of winning each of their 18 games by the score of 3-2. Offensively, they are one of the higher scoring teams that qualified, but that comes at the expense of the defense, where Mriin was the only nation to qualify that conceded more goals during qualifying then the Fillies allowed. That means changes are in order, correct?

Well, to an extent, one of those changes happened already, and it was the post-matchday 14 substitution of Kristen Speller in goal to Kelsey Morgan. The easiest decision for a coach to make if they want to work on the amount of goals being put into their own net is a goalkeeping substitution, but just because it is the easiest decision, is it necessarily the best one? Is the real issue somewhere else on the pitch? There were many that thought that past successes were the only reason the 33-year old Speller was given the opportunity over the 27-year old Morgan, and that it should not be a surprise that while Speller started well, it was in the middle of the tournament where she started to struggle, perhaps showing a sign of her age climbing up there. Yes, we are at a point in sports where we consider 33 year olds old, but it’s not that we see them as old, it’s just that they slow down. When defending a shot, a leap that starts a hundredth of a second slower then you used too with a reach that’s an eighth of an inch less then it was before can be all the difference in that shot being stopped, or ending up in the back of the net. While Kelsey Morgan started slow, she is at a prime age right now. Perhaps this move should have been done a long time before it actually was, but Morgan has her time to shine right now.

Is there another underlying problem though, in the amount of goals that we are allowing? Lupe Enriquez picked up two red cards during the second half of qualifying, and it possibly shows that other teams are figuring out not to let the physical defender get in their heads. Some time off should be helpful for Enriquez, and with the slate clean for her again, I expect her to bounce back, but most importantly play smart. According to manager Sweeney, “Lupe has historically played smart in the biggest games. It’s the games against lesser opponents, on paper, that frustrate her, when it’s an opponent we know we should be beating, but for whatever reason, we’re not beating. Those are the games she got her cards in. You look at the bigger games, and she’s a better player there. So, in the World Cup itself, I don’t expect to see the player that can be frustrated.” In the back, Jessica Curran was supposed to be the rock of the defense, and that has panned out. The veteran 32-year old continues to play a smart game, ever being caught out of position, and never being outworked. Before qualifying, there were questions about the other two starters, Hannah Shanley and Ashley Crocker. It seems as though these are the two spots on the pitch that we have never been able to nail down with a starter that can be counted on, game in and game out. Both Shanley and Crocker worked hard, but were still inconsistent. Sweeney gave chances to substitutes Matthew Donegal and Brooke Sorrentino over this stretch, and some even given to Brooke Sutter and Taylor Young. While I do not think any of them played poorly, they too showed their own inconsistency, and therefore do not expect changes to the defense. Shanley and Crocker, though not perfect, are still the best options for those two spots.

There does not seem to be any problems elsewhere on the pitch. Midfield play has been strong, with Sierra Mattison once again having an incredible tournament. Up front, Hannah Ranucci and Caitlyn Mayer continue to be able to score goals. Goal scoring was impressively split amongst several players during qualifying, so it is good to know that there is not an excessive reliance on players like Ranucci right now. 19-year old Rachel Schanke flashed her talent at many times during the campaign, but still is only used as a substitute. That said, we do think she got more opportunities due to the presence of fellow 19-year old Sutter McCloud in the group for Starblaydia. “Rachel was aware of Sutter, let’s put it that way,” Sweeney said with a smile, “She knew her role and due to the unspoken semantics of our sporting universe that Sutter will be 23 and her 21 in the next World Cup, so we were more patient with her. She wanted to be out there, and that’s what I expect out of her. She produced when given the chance. We have two great forwards right now who have not done a single thing to make me think about taking them out of the lineup. If so, then I would play Rachel more. Rachel knows she needs to earn it, just like her grandmother did.”

So here we are, taking on Eura, Sargossa, and Valladares within our group, an interesting “All Rushmore” group. Eura, ranked 4th in the World, did not lose a game in qualifying, but they were drawn seven times within Group 2, and won the group in a tiebreaker over Audioslavia. They’ve scored 53 goals thus far, the same amount as us, but conceded far less, allowing just 24. They have an impressive history in tournament and will likely have figured out how to have turned those into wins. Of course, we are saying the same thing about our own campaign.

After them, will be Sargossa, ranked 14th in the world, and likely the game that we will need to get a positive result out of if we are able to make it into the round of 16. Sargossa is well known to us on a regional level, and played to a runner up performance in the Copa Rushmori that we hosted. During qualifying, they topped group 7 with a 12-3-3 record, with a good balance between goals scored (38) and goals allowed (22). They do seem to be on good form right now.

Finally, we will close out the World Cup group stage against another Rushmori rival, this being Valladares. They are only ranked 47th in the world, but are definitely a much better team then that. We played them twice during qualifying for World Cup 79, where they were top pot team, and we were a longshot. Both us and Ethane made it through there, and Valladares was not able to get to the World Cup. They had a nice bounce back qualifying effort and tied the reigning World Cup champs, Vilita, at the top of Group 13. At 13-3-2, they have an impressive goal differential of +24, with 47 goals for and 23 goals allowed. You can almost say that they come in here on the best form out of everyone, having gained more points in qualifying then anyone in the group, including Eura. They re definitely not a weak link here.

Unofficial Concord Heights Times Predictions: (teams placed in order of how we predict they will finish).

Group A: Free Republics, Baker Park, Apox, Bongo Johnson

Group B: Vilita, Equestrian States, Mercedini, Juvencus

Group C: South Covello, Mriin, The Holy Empire, Jeruselem

Group D: Nephara, Cosumar, 95X, Qasden

Group E: Valanora, Starblaydia, Audioslavia, Nova Anglicana

Group F: Turori, Brenecia, Qusmo, Darmen

Group G: Pasarga, Farfadillis, Banija, Damukuni

Group H: (prediction redacted)

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

OOC - remember, it's supposed to be dismally bad.

Behold, the Empyrean Orb
Ode to Group C
By Isaac, Prince Imperial (Holy Empire WC 82 Captain)

Behold, the empyrean orb doth fall
(empyrean orb is a metaphor for a football
In case you didn't know)
And soon we will all heed the World Cup's call.

In Group C the Holy Empire will play
As fine a group as any other on its day
Or so many people have been heard to say
Though they might be relying on hearsay

South Covello is our first opponent
In World Cup 81 they had quite a moment
Reaching the final as attacking play proponents
Shall this success prove to be an omen?

And then the mighty princesses
Naked in more ways than one of successes
Tho' to their historic nudity there are many witnesses,
And of Dallases there are many instances.

Then on the mighty land of Mriin
Of whom roster details are somewhat thin
Though qualification has no doubt made home fans grin
In the resolute and mighty land of Mriin.

Last but by no means least are our poets
Of the Holy Empire, don't you know it
Four times the World Cup our players heroic
Have won, so let's hope we don't blow it.

The minimum our fans are surely expecting
Is into the second round we should be going
Where we shall do our best to keep agoing
And I think I just ran out of rhymes for -ing

So behold the empyrean orb doth fall
And soon we shall all be having a ball
(clever metaphor work, there; most droll)
As we plot the opposing teams' downfall!

[Vilita]

Jungle Cats Survive atop Unlucky Group 13

Lonngeylin Coliseum, Lonngeylin, Vilita :: It was an up and down qualifying campaign for the defending World Cup Champion and #1 ranked team in the multiverse Vilita Jungle Cats as even the sportsbooks were nervous at giving the Vilitan National Team any better than 50/50 odds of even qualifying to earn the right to defend their World Cup title in Valanora and Apox.

With their rivals for qualification still to play it was either looking very good or very bad for the Vilitan National Team with four matchdays remaining sandwiched between Valladares and Savojarna in a three-team battle for just two spots in the World Cup finals.

Unlike during the First half of World Cup Qualification where they were held 3-3 by Valladares at the Turoki Community Complex in Turoki City, the Vilita Jungle Cats were able to take down then table-topping Valladares by a 4-1 scoreline on Matchday 15 in a game that finally restored the Vilitan National Team to the top spot in Group 13 and allowed their fans to maybe breathe a sigh of relief that they may finally have righted the ship and set sail for Valanora and Apox. They flipped the script a bit against the Valladars as the Jungle Cats came out in a 4-4-2 formation and in the first 22 minutes of the match had gotten three goals from their defenders. Inbekira Ajhabekk opened the scoring with a long range blast just 3 minutes into the match to silence the crowd in Valladares with a frustrated Paulo Gaviria - the captain and goalkeeper for the Valladar team wondering if he had just cost his team a chance at returning to the World Cup Finals.

Things would get worse for Faviria before they got better however as the Nacional netminder would get beat on successive corner kicks in the 18th and 22nd minute both times the ball going in off the head of a Vilitan defender. in the 18th minute it would be Jirijii Januaa somewhat fortuitously as the ball just grazed the outstretched punching reach of Gaviria and straight into the path of an unmarked Januaa who calmly redirected the ball into the vacant net. Just four minutes later Rintala Sekagaya had much more work to do and while the home fans and Valladar players were looking for a foul on Sekagaya for climbing over Thiago Matheus, none would be given and just like that the defending World Cup Champions would be up 3-0.

The Jungle Cats had the flood gates open at that point and took advantage of a free kick less than five minutes later that was expertly struck by Polaox Torerun to extend the Vilitan lead. The Valladar side focused on stopping the bleeding and surviving until the half where they made numerous changes in an attempt to get back into the match.

Vilita [4] - [1] Valladares

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 3' Inbekira Ajhabekk :: 18' Jirijii Januaa :: 22' Rintala Sekagaya :: 25' Polaox Torerun

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 60% :: Shots on Target: 9 :: Corner Kicks: 18

:: Valladares Statistics :: :: Possession: 40% :: Shots on Target: 5 :: Corner Kicks: 5

---

Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Valladares ::
[GK] Zelkki Milake, [D.] Linkat Cjinder, [D.] Inbekira Ajhabekk, [D.] Rintala Sekagaya, [D.] Jirijii Januaa, [ML] Polaox Torerun, [MC] Intikko Kuhilana, [MC] Westii Yahaya, [MR] Jyuola Mtalata, [FC] Tenziki Kulakao, [FC] Fishtii Blikala
BENCH::
[FC] Enzoril Alabonni, [FC] Berali Tzufarei, [M] Karisto Monafog, [M] Limu Katarakhna, [U ] Ikala Mravedii, [D] Rojara Tiones, [GK] Cilamara Issah

---

Whether it was those changes, the fact the Vilitans took their foot off the gas or a combination of both, the Valladars certainly looked stronger in the second half though could only break up Zelikki Milake's shutout bid with a single consolation tally. With the result the Jungle Cats had moved atop Group 13 two points clear of Valladares who had slipped to the third position on the outside looking in with three matches to play.

The entire multiverse had already circled the rivalry clash between Vilita and Savojarna on the final matchday of World Cup 82 Qualifying as the match to be at but as the moment grew nearer it was becoming more and more clear just how important that match would be. With the Jungle Cats hosting Competitive Solitaire at home on Matchday 16, a team they beat 7-0 on the road in the first half of qualifications, no one expected and issues in the build up for the Jungle Cats. Perhaps, however, that is exactly where the struggle began.

Perhaps it was just an unlucky Venue for the Jungle Cats during World Cup 82 Qualifying but they returned home to the Tivali Ring Stadium in Alikki-Corra - where they had already been upended by Abanhfleft during their campaign opening banner raising ceremony, and fell flat once again in a stunning 3-3 draw with Competitive Solitaire that knocked the Vilita National Team off their perch atop the Group 13 table and back into the trenches of potentially failing to qualify as defending champions of the World Cup.

It wasn't for a lack of possession, chances or goals at the Tivali Ring Stadium for the Jungle Cats as Cavuna Aquafek continued to increase their goals tally for the campaign with a pair of first-half net-bulging plays to give the Jungle Cats a 2-1 lead at the break. They would fall behind after a slow start to the second half as Competitive Solitaire scored in the 53rd and 60th minutes to silence the crowd and put the Jungle Cats behind 3-2. It appeared at the moment that the Jungle Cats would drop all the way from the top of Group 13 to outside the qualification places just as quickly as they had gotten there until Limu Katarakhna's 80th minute solo effort levelled the scores and preserved a point for the Jungle Cats allowing them to maintain a hold on second place in the group table due to their superior goal differential over everyone in the group.

Vilita [3] - [3] Competitive Solitaire

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 20' Cavuna Aquafek :: 41' Cavuna Aquafek :: 80' Limu Katarakhna

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 54% :: Shots on Target: 10 :: Corner Kicks: 13

:: Competitive Solitaire Statistics :: :: Possession: 46% :: Shots on Target: 6 :: Corner Kicks: 7

---

Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Competitive Solitaire ::
[GK] Mako Canopii, [D.] Rintala Sekagaya, [D.] Jirak Trikala, [D.] Inbekira Ajhabekk, [D.] Mileke Drokasorna, [ML] Cavuna Aquafek, [MC] Limu Katarakhna, [MC] Intikko Kuhilana, [MR] Jurzen Devmiko, [FC] Fishtii Blikala, [FC] Linvoi Warazil
BENCH::
[FC] Berali Tzufarei, [FC] Sipke Tarala, [M] Va'a-Rio Kiwavn, [M] Tripate Falcon, [U ] Monner Vileai, [D] Rojara Tiones, [GK] Cilamara Issah

---

Now with just two matches to play and being level on points with the third placed team, Valladares, the Jungle Cats knew their only chance of ensuring their place at the World Cup 82 finals would be to win their final two matches. Unfortunately the first of those two matches would be away at the Busoga Islands, a team that came into the Lopinka National Stadium and defeated the Jungle Cats 1-0 on Matchday 8, then, they would face group leaders Savojarna to close out the campaign where even a single point dropped could send the World Champions crashing back into the Cup of Harmony.

There was a sense of Deja vu as Ousman Babaja put the Busoga Islands in front just as they had done at the Lopinka National Stadium much to the chagrin of the Vilitan fans. Luckily, the Jungle Cats would not be shut out this time around as Berali Tzufarei would score just the third goal in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the Rammsissil striker to level the scores just beyond the half hour mark. The score would remain level until around the hour mark when the Jungle Cats took hold of the match with goals from substitute Cywrenta Vlintejni and central midfielder Jurzen Devmiko. Vlintejni had come on at the half time break in place of Tinjus Mngomeni and had a golden opportunity that they nearly fluffed.

With Delbin Kasekende well beaten by the chip across goal, Vlintejni had an open look on the volley but instead of smacking the ball into the back of the net it went straight to the underside of the cross bar and then straight down onto the goal line. As Kasekende tried to swat the ball off the line one of the Busogan defenders, Mohan Thakshak, with an outstretched leg and not seeing Kasekende's impending reach, tapped the ball with not enough force to clear it off the line but just enough to put it behind Kasekendes outstretched palm. The ball, Thakshak and Kasekende all landed in a pile just inches over the goal line and the ball rolled slowly off towards the netting to give the Jungle Cats the lead.

It was a crushing moment of chaos for the home side who lost their composure for a few minutes and it was enough for the Vilitan National team to grab a second goal through Jurzen Devmiko to take a 3-1 lead. While substitute midfielder Vyomaang Yuvul would show great raw talent in contributing to the Busoga Islands second goal it would be all they could get as Vilita, along with Savojarna and Valladares, would secure three points on the penultimate matchday to set up the ultimate Matchday 18 scenario.

Vilita [3] - [2] Busoga Islands

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 31' Berali Tzufarei :: 58' Cywrenta Vlintejni :: 65' Jurzen Devmiko

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 57% :: Shots on Target: 8 :: Corner Kicks: 3

:: Busoga Islands Statistics :: :: Possession: 43% :: Shots on Target: 6 :: Corner Kicks: 13

---

Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Busoga Islands ::
[GK] Vernasa Sanamun, [D.] Linkat Cjinder, [D.] Lohani Riiyaaw, [D.] Rintala Sekagaya, [ML] Kudii Davasarii, [MC] Westii Yahaya, [MC] Jurzen Devmiko, [MC] Tinjus Mngomeni, [MR] Karisto Monafog, [FC] Berali Tzufarei, [FC] Fishtii Blikala
BENCH::
[FC] Nii'arala Milaaso, [FC] Sipke Tarala, [M] Polaox Torerun, [M] Cywrenta Vlintejni, [U ] Cavuna Aquafek, [D] Mileke Drokasorna, [GK] Cilamara Issah

---

Despite the fact that they went into the final matchday of qualification in third place and outside the qualification places, the sports books placed the best odds on Valladares qualifying for the World Cup 82 finals from amongst the top 3 of Savojarna, Vilita and Valladares. It was a toss up from there with the top ranked Vilitans slightly favored over group leaders Savojarna despite coming into the match trailing the Savojars by a point in the standings.

While the Jungle Cats opponents and rivals on the Ice came in confidently looking to deny Vilita the chance to defend their World Cup Title, for once the Jungle Cats did not play down to their opposition and stuck to their own formation, playing their own game, and executing with confidence. While rotating players throughout the season the Jungle Cats coaching staff saw the match not only as the must win game that it was, but a precursor to the World Cup Finals and turned to their superstars such as Sabrefell Atheltic's Sipke Tarala and rising star Nii'arala Milaaso of Eastal Lunar FC.

The decision would pay dividends as it was the Star Players for the Jungle Cats who made the difference when it counted, breaking through the otherwise stagnant match between two teams fearing the reality of missing out on the World Cup to execute moments of world-class talent to perfection and catapult the Jungle Cats back to the World Cup Finals with a 2-0 victory over their rival Savojars, knocking the Rushmori side out of the World Cup Qualification places in the process.

It was the highest value transfer of the most recent international transfer window, Sipke Tarala, who scored the winner for the Vilitan National Team in the 29th minute while star defender and former Champions Cup winner Linka Cjinder put the match out of reach by converting a corner kick just before the hour mark to put the Jungle Cats up 2-0 and start the celebrations in front of a packed beyond capacity crowd at the Lonngeylin Coliseum that estimated over 130,000 in the stands and possibly over 200,000 witnessing the match live with their own eyes when considering the masses packed along the Lonngeylin hillside. The roar when Tarala's opener went in was defening - much like a World Cup Finals atmosphere, while the sounds coming after Cjinders second were much more jubilent and party-like as the long nervous qualification process had finally come to an end and the Vilita National Team would get their chance to join the ranks of the greatest teams in the history of the World Cup as they would have the chance to become just the twelfth team to win Back-To-Back World Cup titles.

Vilita [2] - [0] Savojarna

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 29' Sipke Tarala :: 58' Linkat Cjinder

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 53% :: Shots on Target: 7 :: Corner Kicks: 5

:: Savojarna Statistics :: :: Possession: 47% :: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 7

---

Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Savojarna ::
[GK] Mako Canopii, [D.] Linkat Cjinder, [D.] Monner Vileai, [D.] Kwuimekii Hentetii, [ML] Intikko Kuhilana, [MC] Polaox Torerun, [MC] Jurzen Devmiko, [MC] Cavuna Aquafek, [MR] Cywrenta Vlintejni, [FC] Sipke Tarala, [FC] Nii'arala Milaaso
BENCH::
[FC] Tenziki Kulakao, [FC] Fishtii Blikala, [M] Jyuola Mtalata, [M] Va'a-Rio Kiwavn, [U ] Linvoi Warazil, [D] Inbekira Ajhabekk, [GK] Cilamara Issah

---

[Qusmo]

Ilinx-Kepex Zev would never admit it, but they were tired.

The thirty-four-year-old captain of Qusmo’s national team - who had been named Fuzpon Qusma Player of the Season in every year of Pug Qusmyra’s existence, who had twice captained KF Qastyr to the quarterfinals of the UICA Champions’ Cup, who was playing for their country for the ninety-first time, who had played in all seventy-three competitive matches Qusmo had ever been a part of, who had never stepped onto a pitch in their professional & international careers without wearing a captain’s armband - was beginning to feel the strain of all they had been put through.

World Cup Qualifying was always a long campaign, & this was no different. In fact, in some ways, it was even more intensive than usual. This was the campaign following Qusmo’s third-place group finish in their last World Cup Qualifiers. This was the campaign following their third-place finish in the Cup of Harmony. This was the campaign where people had expectations for Qusmo. This was the campaign where the goal was nothing short of a World Cup.

Qusmo, however, had struggled. For a string of ten matchdays - from Qusmo’s three-one loss to Cosumar in Qanz through their four-one loss to Cosumar in Ramusok - Qusmo only earned eight points in total, with two wins, two draws, & six losses. That, clearly, would not do. Rumours swirled that Avarn-Oxolt Ban, the manager of the national team, might be sacked - completely uncharacteristic for the normally patient, level-headed nation. Something had to be done.

Ilinx-Kepex pushed that out of their mind for now. Saltstead had a corner kick, & it was the most important set piece of Ilinx-Kepex’s career - or, indeed, any of the Qusmi’y on the pitch. After what felt like an eternity in which Qusmo had constantly attacked but Saltstead had frustrated them again & again, Ilinx-Kepex had finally given their side a one-nil lead in the eighty-second minute which could send Qusmo to their first World Cup; if Saltstead could equalize, however, it would be they would go instead. After eighteen matchdays & ninety matches played in Group 11, every player’s dream would be realized or dashed by a single corner kick. Every player, every member of the coaching staff, every one of the 77 000 in the capacity-level attendance at King William VII National Park, & every football fan watching from across the Multiverse - & especially in Qusmo & Saltstead - knew that.

On television, radio, & live streams elsewhere, announcers were surely trying to heighten the suspense, but there was no need. The din in the stadium was unlike anything Ilinx-Kepex had ever experienced before. Valeriė Rotsħeud, the Saltsteadish goalkeeper, made the trek from their goal to Qusmo’s, as Gay Ware did anything they could to generate a chance to save their own job as manager of Saltstead’s national team. While they waited for the player in gold to make their way to the box, Saltstead’s ten outfielders huddled together, determining their strategy for this last, vital corner. The Qusmi’y knew what to do; they were left with this time to think - about their own strategy & marking assignments, perhaps, but also about the magnitude of the moment - & how quickly it could all slip away - & all the ways things could go wrong -

“Everyone!” Ilinx-Kepex barked. If they were falling into that state of mental torment, they knew their teammates were, too. “I know what the score is. I know what the stakes are. We all do. But we know exactly what we need to do. Each of us has a job. Each of us has a role, a responsibility. All we have to do is execute. If we stick to our jobs, we can clear this ball. & if we clear it out of danger, that’s all we need to do. That’s all we need to do. So, let’s do it.”

As Ilinx-Kepex broke the loose huddle of Qusmi’y, the Stallions got into position. Every black-&-white hoop met a white shirt with a red-&-gold sash. The Stallions jostled for space now that their defenders had begun marking, & the Qusmi’y jockied for position now that they had begun marking. Everything was set. Suddenly, Ilinx-Kepex was sure they could hear a pin drop from the top row of seats.

Then, just as suddenly, noise.

Ann-Marine Crabshaas took two steps & launched the ball towards the box, towards the far side. Ilinx-Kepex suddenly realized: Rotsħeud was unmarked. Qusmo had meticulously planned for precisely this kind of moment, but they had never considered the possibility that the goalkeeper, too, might be arriving for the corner. Ilinx-Kepex suddenly bolted from their assignment, hurtling themselves towards the ball & -

Ilinx-Kepex got to it first! They did it! They saved Qusmo! But, no, wait - the ball was loose. Ilinx-Kepex still had to close it out, until the final three whistles blew, lest it all go to waste. Ilinx-Kepex sprinted after the ball, knowing that if they got there first, they would win. They would qualify for the World Cup. They could see Emmet le Duc, however, closing in, too, surely knowing precisely the same as Ilinx-Kepex. Le Duc came closer & closer, but Ilinx-Kepex had slowed over the course of the match; they weren’t sure if they could make it. But at that moment, Ilinx-Kepex found one final burst of speed. This was the World Cup they were after. If they could only tolerate a few more seconds of pain, they would have a lifetime of glory. &, so, it was Ilinx-Kepex’s boot that met the ball first.

Ilinx-Kepex was ready to celebrate - but the referee hadn’t stopped play. The ball was cleared; shouldn’t the match be over? Ilinx-Kepex looked over at the fourth official. They had added two additional minutes. The time it took to set up the corner must have prolonged the end of the match; they must not have been able to hear the announcement amidst the noise of the crowd. They had to put in another one hundred twenty seconds, then. Ilinx-Kepex kept sprinting, towards the ball, now bouncing in the centre of the pitch. The other twenty-one didn’t seem to realize it, though; the Saltsteaders started to bury their heads in their shirts or their hands, while the Qusmi’y looked as though they had begun celebrating.

“I’ll take it myself, then,” thought Ilinx-Kepex. &, so, they kept running - but as they did, the others began to realize what was happening. There were a final few seconds left on the board. Ilinx-Kepex caught up to the ball, but by that time, the entire Saltsteadish team had begun to track back as fast as they possibly could, trying desperately to salvage something.

Ilinx-Kepex’s legs felt like lead, they could barely lift them, but they had to. They had to keep moving. They had to. &, so, they kept running - not as fast as they could have at their peak, & not as fast as the hosts who were frantically following, but as fast as they possibly could. &, so, Ilinx-Kepex got closer, & closer, & closer to the goal - but the Stallions got closer & closer & closer to them. Ilinx-Kepex urged themself on. This would do it. This would put them in the World Cup. Ilinx-Kepex finally reached the eighteen-yard box, & then the six-yard box, & they still hadn’t been reached. Finally, Martin Wissen, desperately, tried to lunge, & Ilinx-Kepex was tripped. But it was of no consequence. The ball kept rolling, & it rolled all the way into the goal.

Ilinx-Kepex stayed on the grass. They didn’t move. Not long thereafter, they felt bodies plow into them - white shirts, with red-&-gold sashes, & with that sun. That beautiful sun. & now, Ilinx-Kepex would get to play on the grandest stage of all: the World Cup. Ilinx-Kepex began to cry. Not of the pain; they couldn’t feel that anymore. They cried because, after working for so hard, for so long, they had finally achieved what they had so desperately wanted.

They cried because, finally, it was all over. They cried because, after so long, it had only just begun.

---

It’s time for #WC82 & it’s time for #WCmemes! Send us yours at #WCmemechallenge & we’ll publish the best ones here on #twiitur!

---

We’re starting with memes about the #WC82 #WCdraw - first, #GroupA! Send in #WCmemes at #WCmemechallenge & we might post yours right here!

---

The #WCmemechallenge is going great! Next we have a #WCmemes from #WC82 #GroupB! Send in yours & you might get featured right here!

---

Now we’re going to #GroupC for the #WCmemechallenge! If you have #WCmemes for #WC82, send it in & it could be featured on this twii node!

---

We’re #halfwaythere! The #WCmemechallenge is at #GroupD! Send in your #WCmemes for a chance to be featured in our #WC82 coverage!

---

Our #WCmemes will shift from Apox to Valanora, as our #WCmemechallenge takes on #WC82 #GroupE next! Keep sending in yours!

---

Great stuff! Our #WCmemechallenge is going strong, now at #Qusmo’s own #GroupF! Share your #WCmemes & root for #Qusmo in #WC82!

---

Our next #WCmemes for the #WCmemechallenge is about #GroupG! We have one #WC82 meme left to share now but hurry before you miss out!

---

Last but not least is our #WCmemes for #GroupH! We’ll publish more in our #WCmemechallenge but that’s all for now! Enjoy #WC82 & go #Qusmo!

[Apox]

Here Be Dragons

Everyone's gotta enter the World Cup finals with at least a little bit of hope.

MD1 Cutoff for Groups E-H.

[Cosumar]

Breaking down the World Cup cut:
Who's in, who's out, and what it means for Nephara looming on MD1

The satisfaction of qualifying and flurry of hype surrounding the group draw have passed. As they recede further into the rearview mirror, all that's left for fans to do is wait. To count down the days until that euphoric Opening Ceremony in Apox & Valanora.

But for Cosumar national team manager Alexander Pearce, this interim period is perhaps more trying than the World Cup itself. He must, as per the somewhat stale gamer meme, "CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON." Before the deadline, all 32 participating federations must submit their final 23-man rosters. The choices Pearce, Casey Brind and the rest of the staff make now will determine how equipped they are to handle challenges that arise at the World Cup.

For some nations, not much is made of that announcement. It's a formality. For a country like Cosumar that produces top-level professionals with factory-like efficiency these days, slimming the ranks to that final 23 is a major undertaking full of tradeoffs, fanfare and drama. All 40 players at manager Alexander Pearce's disposal in Quqlifying were given meaningful chances to show their stuff. At least a dozen more players outside that pool still merit consideration for inclusion too.

Let's break down their options by position. Each player that received a cap in Qualifying is listed below with their stats in those appearances. Predicted cuts are "greyed out". Those in black will be on the plane to Apox (according to us).


Goalkeeper (3 2)

GK 	Shjegrzh Na’Kefir	29m	Crisisbless	        [NPH]   13 starts, 17 GA, 4 clean sheets
GK 	Hansi Weschler	        28m	Crawford City FC     	[COS]   4 starts, 4 GA, 3 clean sheets
GK 	Edith Tidesson	        24f	Real Azuris     	[COS]   1 start, 0 GA, 1 clean sheet

Na'Kefir still looks and feels like the best overall keeper of the bunch, but he didn't have the very best Qualifying. Hansi Weschler, in his limited appearances, was flashing big saves and producing clean sheets, renewing the debate over whether Na'Kefir's #1 status is untouchable or not. That is, until, Weschler spoiled his perfect Qualifying goals against record by shipping FOUR to Alluersia on the final matchday... So, yeah, with the memory fresh in Pearce's mind, Na'Kefir will be between the sticks against Nephara. Edith Tidesson gave a positive accounting for herself in her debut, but she's not World Cup-ready. Na'Kefir and Weschler are Cosumar's top two by a safe distance at this position right now.


Left Back (3 2)

LB	Q'orianka Va'Afaja	25f	Cassandra City  	[COS]    9 apps, 1 assist
LB	Bacary Na’Kale		33m	Mâ Âlâmëómë 		[FFD]    5 apps
LB/RB   Mei Hamilton		29f	Coret Hawks		[NPH]    2 apps

Pearce seemed to settle upon an all-Vloo rotation of the iconic veteran Na'Kale and quiet youngster Va'Afaja throughout Qualifying, with Va'Afaja actually getting more of the minutes. It seems fairly obvious that these are his two left backs. Hamilton played very well in her first two caps - both clean sheets - but there's not enough sample size to entrust her with starting against, say, Nephara if the other left back went down. Other capped left backs like Berk Lechjakr (a down year in Farfadillis causing him to lose his spot), Alexis Brill and Kendrex Engram could also potentially factor into Pearce's thinking here if he wanted to look for solutions outside the 40 from Qualifying.


Center Back (6 3)

CB      Kadija Na'Duha      	27f	Aries Chariots   	[NPH]    11 apps
CB      Horatius Chaumancer	24m	Northern Union		[BRE]    11 apps
CB      Alfred Tidesson      	25m	Real Azuris 	        [COS]    6 apps
CB      Eero Solari            	24m	Bastion      	       	[EUR]    4 apps
CB 	Peter Svensson		36m	AFC Treason 		[NPH]    8 apps
CB 	Shrey Sumiile		24m	Ulsa 	         	[EUR]    1 app

This is the first toughie. Svensson - so long the ringleader of Cosumar's defense - doesn't quite have the automatic seat on the plane that he did last cycle. But he's still a superb defender and played a significant role in Qualifying. But do use a valuable spot on a 36-year-old center back? If it was a normal one, maybe not. 36-year-olds tend to be slowing and injury prone, and injuries and match-concentration fatigue can knock a World Cup off the tracks from the start. However, Svensson - while slower - has been an iron man seemingly immune to injuries throughout his career. Do you really doubt the former captain can solider through one last Cup? Especially since, this time, he'll be more of a complimentary piece. The foundation for most of Cosumar's best performances in Qualifying was the blossoming partnership of Kadija Na'Duha and Horatius Chaumancer. They look locked in as starters for MD1 against Nephara. Alfred Tidesson will be a harsh and surprising cut - he made a difference in his share of matches too - but how can Pearce deny a legend like Svensson his swansong as that third CB? A fourth is difficult to justify when fullbacks Va'Afaja and Uribe are both accustomed to sliding in and playing centrally at times.


Right Back (3 2)

RB	Ville Pakkanen	        30m   	Newrook City 	        [NPH]   7 apps, 1 goal, 1 assist
RB	Thomas Uribe         	27m   	Spartangrad         	[EUR]   7 apps, 1 assist
RB	Skaldir Tibrewal        21m   	Gwinevra Barbarians     [APX]   3 apps, 1 goal

Pakkanen and Uribe will be the right backs at the World Cup. They balance each other out so well on the teamsheet. Pakkanen... tall and pacy and clever in the final third. Uribe... smaller and slower, but steadier and smarter in his defending. Two very different tools for Pearce to work with as he plans for specific opponents. The only question is which will line up to sing "Cosumar, Glorious and Majestic" opposite Nephara as a starter. As you can see, they had a dead-even 50/50 split in Qualifying. Skaldir Tibrewal is one for the future. He seems like the natural successor-in-waiting for Pakkanen with his athleticism and comfort in the attack. But he'll also face competition in the near-term from Tevreness Bale, another elegant wingback who has been making a stink on social media every day this month about being unjustly frozen out of the national team despite winning the SuperLiga in Pasarga last season.


Defensive Midfield (2 1)

DM	Stig Söderquist	        32m	Brinemouth 	        [NPH]    11 apps, 2 assists
DM	Viablaine               30f	Rozelle              	[BRE]    7 apps, 1 assist

Well, we ain't leaving the Cosumar and Brinemouth captain at home. Söderquist is proven World Cup quality, having played in multiple Quarterfinals. That's the kind of experience we need to now progress past that point. He's more versatile than Viablaine too. But props to Viablaine for a strong Qualifying. She has really stepped up for the national team here in her late 20s / early 30s.


Central Midfield (6 4)

CM      Maia Abylon             24f	Olask Islanders         [COS]   4 apps
CM	Dexter Tricklebank   	25m	Falourr	                [EUR]   8 apps, 2 assists
CM	Will Couturiaux         32m	Newrook City	        [NPH]   3 apps, 1 assist
CM      Harald Fireblade        26m	Herzegovina City FC	[BNJ]   5 apps
CM	Kai-Kai Mokumdarian   	24m	Jungle Strike FC        [VIL]   10 apps, 1 goal, 1 assist
LM/CM   Bellerophon Serafino    32m	Cassandra City	        [COS]   8 apps, 4 assists

Looking at Cosumar's midfield options is like looking at a menu at one of those modern pan-Atlantian fusion restaurants. Everything on display is so different and guaranteed to deliver its own unique flavor. Do you reach for mercurial Mokumdarian's athleticism and potential to take the center of the park single-handedly, or perhaps for Couturiaux's ability to place a pinpoint pass at anyone's feet across the pitch? The Ko-orenite sour bread or the Krytenian vindaloo? Longtime Pearce man Belle Serafino was thought to be on his way to be phased out, but bounced back this cycle with several impactful appearances: at central midfield, defensive midfield, winger and even left back. He still has class and his versatility will be irresistible for a tinkerer like Pearce. But the rest is fair game. There are no locks for the roster here. Dexter Tricklebank has become a top-class midfielder in Eura and started to cement himself as such internationally at the end of Qualifying, but has little experience as a starter at this level. Abylon is basically an even less proven - but perhaps higher ceiling - version of him. Someone has to stay home though, and we feel that it will be Fireblade. The wildcard from the BSL proved himself in Qualifying, but he's too much of a Mokumdarian B to warrant his own seat on the plane when we can just take Mokumdarian A -- though the original didn't exactly light up Qualifying. Blergh. What a headache. Who starts alongside Söderquist in the likely 4-2-2-2 we'll see against Nephara is anyone's guess.


Left Midfield (3 2)

LW      Olvir Texström		30m 	Falourr     	        [EUR]    5 apps, 4 goals
LW/AM   Zoë Aedelbrandt       	26f 	Sabrefell Moths	        [NPH]    6 apps, 3 assists
LW      Lorelei Neptune		26f	AFC Treason		[NPH]

2 apps, 1 goal, 1 assist

This traditional left winger position - used when Cosumar shifts to its aggressive 3-3-1-3 or conservative 4-5-1 - was up for grabs in Qualifying. All three players had their moments in the sun, making this difficult to project. All three have ample experience for top clubs and in the World Cup. We'll put Aedelbrandt through for her ability to pinch inside and play more centrally. Texström, then, feels like he has to get the edge over Neptune this time. He didn't play a ton in Qualifying, but it seems like always scored whenever he came on. His scorching pace (second to none in the pool) is a unique tool that could stretch Nephara in the second half.


Right Midfield (3 2)

RW/AM	Bryger Tidesson	        26m	Brinemouth        	[NPH]   14 apps, 2 goals, 4 assists    
RW/CM	Hakki Ojala        	28m	Sabrefell Athletic      [NPH]   7 apps, 3 goals, 1 assist
RW      Elodie Sade		27f	Keenan Athletic		[COS]   3 apps, 2 goals

Sorry Sade, but this is a no-brainer. Bryger Tidesson - though he went somewhat missing down the stretch of Qualifying - is Bryger Tidesson. The most talented player in the pool besides maybe the woman one section down. Hakki Ojala had perhaps the most impactful Qualifying of his career, chipping in three big goals. And #VersatilityPoints for him too.


Central Attacking Midfield (3 1)

AM	Isla Sibučić		26f	Cednia Beach AFC       	[TUR]    17 apps, 8 goals, 3 assists
AM	Hidalgo Antúnes   	27m	Real Azuris 	        [COS]    5 apps, 2 assists
AM      Taka Masatoshi		22m	Mallox	         	[COS]    4 apps, 1 goal, 2 assists

We thin Pearce will only take one quote-unquote "#10" this time. And that's Isla Sibučić, the prodigious Fevelian who willed the Fiefdom to this World Cup. She will have no natural backup, but I think that's why he will invest in versatility with the rest of the roster - to save a spot here. Aedelbrandt, Mokumdarian, Ojala, Bryger and even Romikk Valgard can all create in the hole if for SOME reason, Isla has to step off the pitch. Which will never ever be part of Pearce's plan. Not quite like Isla does it, but then again - no one does.


Forwards (8 4)

ST	Romikk Valgard       	31m	Ulsa                    [EUR]    10 apps, 2 goals, 3 assists
ST	Vega Zeale-Riddick  	28f	Cassandra City	        [COS]    8 apps, 6 goals 
ST	Aron Riise  	        25m	Oakstone         	[EUR]    3 apps, 1 assist
ST	Arden Lemons  	        24f	Hondo FC         	[VAL]    4 apps, 5 goals
ST	Airik Ruhl       	30m	Crisisbless             [NPH]    5 apps, 3 goals
ST	Dakota Blaylock       	28m  	Northern Union          [BRE]    3 apps
F LRC	Charles Dyer Vry     	26m	Cassandra City		[COS]    4 apps, 1 assist
F LRC	Sen Marsteller  	25f	OAS Royal FC	        [COS]    3 apps, 1 assist

Striker is usually a buzzy debate for Cosumar, but not this cycle. Cut all the people who didn't score a goal in Qualifying. Done. There's your four. We knew Valgard-VZR-Ruhl would be the first three on Pearce's teamsheet, but Arden Lemons really forced herself to the top of the pile of other options with her huge impacts in a couple games. Better than a goal-per-game? Do that on a deep World Cup run and you're a Cosumarite legend forevermore. Pearce's gradual transition to using one-striker formations a little more often over the course of Qualifying also negated the need for the utility fifth striker that we've seen make the cut in the past, like a Charles Dyer Vry or Sen Marsteller.


In summation, these are the players that we think will don the Dragonshirt for Cosumar at the big event: the 82nd World Cup! Take a good look at that full list. What do you think? Any undeserving inclusions? Glaring omissions? Let us know on Twii.tur or in the comments below.

Cosumar Projected Roster for World Cup 82
GK 	Shjegrzh Na’Kefir	29m	Crisisbless	        [NPH]
GK 	Hansi Weschler	        28m	Crawford City FC     	[COS]
LB	Q'orianka Va'Afaja	25f	Cassandra City  	[COS]
LB	Bacary Na’Kale		33m	Mâ Âlâmëómë 		[FFD]
CB      Kadija Na'Duha      	27f	Aries Chariots   	[NPH]
CB      Horatius Chaumancer	24m	Northern Union		[BRE]
CB 	Peter Svensson		36m	AFC Treason 		[NPH]
RB	Ville Pakkanen	        30m   	Newrook City 	        [NPH]
RB	Thomas Uribe         	27m   	Spartangrad         	[EUR]
DM	Stig Söderquist	        32m	Brinemouth 	        [NPH]
CM	Dexter Tricklebank   	25m	Falourr	                [EUR]
CM	Will Couturiaux         32m	Newrook City	        [NPH]
CM	Kai-Kai Mokumdarian   	24m	Jungle Strike FC        [VIL]
LM/CM   Bellerophon Serafino    32m	Cassandra City	        [COS]
LW      Olvir Texström		30m 	Falourr     	        [EUR]
LW/AM   Zoë Aedelbrandt       	26f 	Sabrefell Moths	        [NPH]
RW/AM	Bryger Tidesson	        26m	Brinemouth        	[NPH]
RW/CM	Hakki Ojala        	28m	Sabrefell Athletic      [NPH]
AM	Isla Sibučić		26f	Cednia Beach AFC       	[TUR]
ST	Romikk Valgard       	31m	Ulsa                    [EUR]
ST	Vega Zeale-Riddick  	28f	Cassandra City	        [COS]
ST	Arden Lemons  	        24f	Hondo FC         	[VAL]
ST	Airik Ruhl       	30m	Crisisbless             [NPH]

by Akul Van Exel
Cosumar Football Columnist

---

Cosumar 6-0 Vartugia
B. Tidesson 33', Zeale-Riddick 36', Sibučić 51', Valgard 75', Pakkanen 81', Zeale-Riddick 84'
Assisted by Valgard, B. Tidesson, Söderquist, Aedelbrandt, Aedelbrandt, Aedelbrandt
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, Svensson, A. Tidesson, Pakkanen; Söderquist, Mokumdarian (Fireblade); Sibučić (Abylon), B. Tidesson (Aedelbrandt); Valgard, Zeale-Riddick
Matchday 1 | @ Fire River Arena, Ramusok

Velestria 0-0 Cosumar
No scorers
Selection: Weschler; Va'Afaja, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Pakkanen (Tricklebank); Söderquist, Mokumdarian; Sibučić, B. Tidesson; Valgard (Texström), Zeale-Riddick (Ruhl)
Matchday 2 | @ Hartford Park, Southampshire

Cosumar 3-2 Mattijana
Lemons 45+1', 49', 58'
Assisted by Valgard, Dyer Vry, Sibučić
Selection: Na'Kefir; Va'Afaja, Svensson, Chaumancer, Uribe; Viablaine, Mokumdarian; Sibučić, Dyer Vry (Abylon); Lemons (B. Tidesson), Valgard (Blaylock)
Matchday 3 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Qusmo 1-3 Cosumar
Chaumancer 37', B. Tidesson 50', Valgard 81'
Assisted by B. Tidesson, Pakkanen, Couturiaux
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Pakkanen; Söderquist, Mokumdarian (Aedelbrandt); Sibučić (Ojala), B. Tidesson; Lemons (Couturiaux), Valgard
Matchday 4 | @ Mastad Qusma, Qusmo

Cosumar 0-0 Saltstead
No scorers
Selection: Na'Kefir; Va'Afaja, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Pakkanen; Söderquist, Tricklebank (Mokumdarian); Sibučić (Marsteller), B. Tidesson (Sade); Valgard, Zeale-Riddick
Matchday 5 | @ Leviathan Arena, Kaldukosic

Sajnur 2-1 Cosumar
Texström 37'
Assisted by Valgard
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Duha, Svensson, Solari; Söderquist, Tricklebank, Mokumdarian (Serafino); Sibučić (Pakkenen); Texström, Valgard (Zeale-Riddick), B. Tidesson
Matchday 6 | @ National Stadium, Javoser

Cosumar 1-0 Kavagrad
Sade 69'
Assisted by Serafino
Selection: Weschler; Chaumancer, Svensson (Pakkanen), Solari; Söderquist (Sibučić), Tricklebank, Serafino; Antúnes; Aedelbrandt, Valgard, B. Tidesson (Sade)
Matchday 7 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Mytanija 3-3 Cosumar
Masatoshi 28', Sibučić 45', MYT Own Goal 65'
Assisted by Chaumancer, Masatoshi, Ojala
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, A. Tidesson, Chaumancer, Uribe; Söderquist, Tricklebank (Antúnes); Sibučić, Ojala (B. Tidesson); Masatoshi, Ruhl (Dyer Vry)
Matchday 8 | @ Miagostadion, Miago

Cosumar 5-1 Alluersia
Zeale-Riddick 33' 40' 64', Texström 75', Ojala 79'
Assisted by B. Tidesson, Serafino, Tricklebank, Zeale-Riddick, Tricklebank
Selection: Na'Kefir; Va'Afaja, Svensson, Na'Duha; Serafino, Viablaine (Couturiaux), Tricklebank; Sibučić; Texström (Aedelbrandt), Zeale-Riddick, B. Tidesson (Ojala)
Matchday 9 | @ Orangi Stadium, Crawford

Vartugia 0-4 Cosumar
Ojala 50' 70', Ruhl 84', Lemons 88'
Assisted by Lemons, Antúnes, Viablaine, Uribe
Selection: Na'Kefir; Hamilton, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Uribe; Viablaine, Fireblade; Antúnes, Masatoshi (Ojala); Lemons (Dyer Vry), Ruhl (Riise)
Matchday 10 | @ (Any field that dosent fit for football), Vartugia

Cosumar 3-2 Velestria
Lemons 13', Texström 14' 79'
Assisted by Sibučić, Marsteller, B. Tidesson
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, A. Tidesson, Chaumancer (Solari), Pakkanen; Söderquist, Tricklebank; Texström, Sibučić; Marsteller (Va'Afaja), Lemons (B. Tidesson)
Matchday 11 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Mattijana 3-4 Cosumar
Sibučić 12', Tibrewal 56', Sibučić 63' 67'
Assisted by none, Va'Afaja, Antúnes, Riise
Selection: Na'Kefir; Va'Afaja, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Tibrewal; Viablaine, Mokumdarian; Antúnes (Fireblade), Sibučić (Aedelbrandt); Masatoshi (Marsteller), Riise
Matchday 12 | @ Stadijo Dinamov, Petrovijanka

Cosumar 4-1 Qusmo
Neptune 11', Ruhl 38', Sibučić 40', Ruhl 49'
Assisted by Serafino, Sibučić, Neptune, Mokumdarian
Selection: Na'Kefir; Serafino (Va'Afaja), Na'Duha, A. Tidesson, Uribe; Söderquist, Mokumdarian; Neptune, Antúnes (Ojala); Sibučić, Ruhl (Zeale-Riddick)
Matchday 13 | @ The Klyde Sportsplex, Klyde

Saltstead 0-1 Cosumar
Sibučić 72'
Assisted by Serafino
Selection: Weschler; Va'Afaja, Na'Duha (Svensson), Chaumancer, Uribe; Serafino, Sibučić, Viablaine, Fireblade, B. Tidesson (Tibrewal); Zeale-Riddick (Valgard)
Matchday 14 | @ King William VII National Park, Ashwell

Cosumar 0-0 Sajnur
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, Na'Duha, A. Tidesson, Uribe (Texström); Viablaine, Mokumdarian; Sibučić, Ojala; Valgard (Ruhl), Blaylock (B. Tidesson)
Matchday 15 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Kavagrad 0-0 Cosumar
Selection: E. Tidesson; Hamilton (Söderquist), Svensson, Chaumancer, Uribe; Serafino, Abylon (Couturiaux); Neptune, B. Tidesson; Valgard, Dyer Vry (Sibučić)
Matchday 16 | @ Kavagrad National Stadium

Cosumar 1-2 Mytanija
Sibučić 84'
Assisted by Söderquist
Selection: Na’Kefir; Va’Afaja, Na’Duha, Chaumancer (A. Tidesson), Tibrewal; Söderquist (Serafino), Tricklebank; Sibučić, Ojala (B. Tidesson); Riise, Blaylock
Matchday 17 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Alluersia 4-4 Cosumar
ALU Own Goal 17', Zeale-Riddick 37' (p), Mokumdarian 58', Sade 64'
Assisted by Masatoshi, none, none, none
Selection: Weschler; Sumiile, Svensson, Solari; Mokumdarian, Viablaine, Abylon (Fireblade); Masatoshi; Aedelbrandt (Serafino), Zeale-Riddick (Sibučić), Sade
Matchday 18 | @ Alluersia

Goals
Isla Sibučić (8)
Vega Zeale-Riddick (6)
Arden Lemons (5)
Olvir Texström (4)
Hakki Ojala (3)
Airik Ruhl (3)
Bryger Tidesson (2)
Romikk Valgard (2)
Elodie Sade (2)
Ville Pakkanen (1)
Horatius Chaumancer (1)
Taka Masatoshi (1)
Lorelei Neptune (1)
Skaldir Tibrewal (1)
Kai-Kai Mokumdarian (1)
Own Goal (2)

Assists
Bryger Tidesson (4)
Bellerophon Serafino (4)
Zoë Aedelbrandt (3)
Romikk Valgard (3)
Isla Sibučić (3)
Dexter Tricklebank (2)
Hidalgo Antúnes (2)
Stig Söderquist (2)
Taka Masatoshi (2)
Charles Dyer Vry (1)
Ville Pakkanen (1)
Will Couturiaux (1)
Horatius Chaumancer (1)
Hakki Ojala (1)
Vega Zeale-Riddick (1)
Arden Lemons (1)
Viablaine (1)
Thomas Uribe (1)
Sen Marsteller (1)
Kai-Kai Mokumdarian (1)
Lorelei Neptune (1)
Q'orianka Va'Afaja (1)
Aron Riise (1)

Appearances
Maia Abylon (4)
Zoë Aedelbrandt (6)
Hidalgo Antúnes (5)
Dakota Blaylock (3)
Horatius Chaumancer (11)
Will Couturiaux (3)
Charles Dyer Vry (4)
Harald Fireblade (5)
Mei Hamilton (2)
Arden Lemons (4)
Sen Marsteller (3)
Taka Masatoshi (4)
Kai-Kai Mokumdarian (10)
Kadija Na'Duha (11)
Bacary Na'Kale (5)
Shjegrzh Na’Kefir (13)
Lorelei Neptune (2)
Hakki Ojala (7)
Ville Pakkanen (7)
Aron Riise (3)
Airik Ruhl (5)
Elodie Sade (3)
Bellerophon Serafino (8)
Isla Sibučić (17)
Stig Söderquist (11)
Eero Solari (4)
Shrey Sumiile (1)
Peter Svensson (8)
Olvir Texström (5)
Skaldir Tibrewal (3)
Alfred Tidesson (6)
Bryger Tidesson (14)
Edith Tidesson (1)
Dexter Tricklebank (8)
Thomas Uribe (7)
Q'orianka Va'Afaja (9)
Romikk Valgard (10)
Hansi Weschler (4)
Vega Zeale-Riddick (8)
Viablaine (7)